DNA-Based Gender Identification of Punjab Urial (Ovis vignei punjabiensis) using Non-Invasive Sampling

Gender identification of wild ungulates is imperative and critical, particularly for juveniles. Accurate gender determination is important for studying ecology and conservation biology. Therefore, a simple molecular technique, that is precise with non-invasive sampling approaches such as faeces, would be valuable. In the present study a set of molecular markers was developed exploiting the AMLx/y gene to assess gender of Punjab urial population in Kala Bagh, using faecal samples as the DNA source. In our study, among 92 urial samples, 54 (58.69%) were identified as female samples, 34 (36.95%) were recognized as males while for remaining 4 (4.34%) samples there was no amplification, resulting in their gender not being able to be assessed. This non-invasive sampling technique accurately identifies gender and has importance in developing conservation application for Punjab urials as well as equally applicable to other wild ungulates.