Seven reasons why threatened species managers must consider genetic health

Abstract Genetic management is well established as an essential component of threatened species management. In small populations, deteriorating genetic health—such as increases in inbreeding and losses of genetic diversity—becomes an important cause of extinction. Cost-effective genetic management practices exist, but a lack of awareness limits widespread application. We provide seven reasons threatened species managers must consider genetic health, each of which can be read in under 5 min. These reasons are intended to be a synthesis for a broader audience than is generally reached by specialist scientific literature. Consequently, we aim to empower threatened species’ managers, agencies, and policymakers to recognize the relevance of genetic health to the species under their responsibility and to actively seek the support of conservation genetics experts.