Depends on how outbred the original 12 bisons were, but the current herd is likely to be very limited in terms of genetic diversity. The population is likely more at risk for rare recessive genetic disorders and has a population level fragility. High genetic diversity allows a species to survive tough conditions such as plague, famine, climate change as better adapted genes can permit a portion of the population to endure. Such an inbred population means a single disease or poor season could bring the species to the brink.
TheBrikk t1_it89vtz wrote
Reply to comment by Johanezu in A pioneering rewilding project has had an early surprise: a bouncing baby bison. It is the first wild bison to be born in the UK for thousands of years. by grab-n-g0
Depends on how outbred the original 12 bisons were, but the current herd is likely to be very limited in terms of genetic diversity. The population is likely more at risk for rare recessive genetic disorders and has a population level fragility. High genetic diversity allows a species to survive tough conditions such as plague, famine, climate change as better adapted genes can permit a portion of the population to endure. Such an inbred population means a single disease or poor season could bring the species to the brink.