Extensive admixture among captive sable antelope on South African wildlife farms calls for the integration of genetic data into IUCN assessments

The IUCN recognizes captive populations as valuable resources for conservation interventions. However, their genetic composition remains insufficiently understood, potentially jeopardizing wild populations. Sable antelope ( Hippotragus niger ) exemplifies this challenge. Although listed as Least Concern, recent assessments highlight declines in free-living populations, offset by increasing numbers under private ownership. Given the lack of comprehensive genetic data on captive populations, we analyzed genetic diversity and structure in 7,271 individuals from 358 South African wildlife farms using nuclear microsatellite markers. Captive sable represents only two of the five wild ancestries—Zambian and Southern—with widespread admixture and a bias toward Zambian ancestry. The underrepresentation of native Southern sable and the absence of other wild groups underscore the need for caution when using captive individuals in conservation actions. Overall, our results show that population numbers alone are insufficient to guide conservation decisions, reinforcing the importance of incorporating genetic information into species assessments.