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Assessing beaver origins in North-Western Italy: a mitochondrial DNA comparison with Swiss and French populations
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1
Valgrande Società Cooperativa, Via alla Cartiera 41, 28923 Verbania (VCO), Italy
2
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana “M. Aleandri”, Centro di Referenza Nazionale per la Medicina Forense Veterinaria, 58100 Grosseto, Italy
3
Istituto di Ricerca sugli Ecosistemi Terrestri IRET, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (FI), Italy
4
National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), 90133 Palermo, Italy
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Service des Forêts et de la Nature, Direction des Institutions de l’Agriculture et des Forêts, Ruelle de Notre-Dame 2, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
Online publication date: 2025-05-27
Corresponding author
Lorenzo Attili
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana “M. Aleandri”, Centro di Referenza Nazionale per la Medicina Forense Veterinaria, 58100 Grosseto, Italy
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ABSTRACT
Mitochondrial DNA sequences can be used to infer haplotype diversity in range-expanding species. The Eurasian beaver Castor fiber is experiencing a remarkable recovery in Europe following centuries of exploitation and local extinctions. The species has recently recolonized also Central Italy, likely due to unauthorized releases, whereas the first individuals occurring in North-Eastern Italy may be the results of natural range expansion from neighboring countries. Since the last months of 2023, presence signs were also observed in North-Western Italy, near the border with Switzerland. To assess the genetic diversity and origin of Italian beaver populations, we conducted mitochondrial DNA analysis on samples from this newly colonized area, revealing the occurrence of two mtDNA haplotypes belonging to the western mitochondrial lineage of the Eurasian beaver. Molecular sexing also confirmed the occurrence of both males and females. Therefore, monitoring this population should be urgently established following European laws. Future genetic investigations using nuclear DNA markers will be crucial for understanding the origin of these new populations and informing effective conservation strategies.