Research overview: the future of felid conservation genomics

Advances in sequencing, noninvasive sampling, and analysis are transforming how genetics informs cat conservation. This overview surveys emerging directions, including reference-quality genomes for every felid lineage, real-time field sequencing, environmental DNA for detecting cats from water or soil, and the integration of genomic load and adaptive-diversity metrics into management decisions. It discusses the promise and controversy of advanced interventions such as engineered genetic rescue, the importance of long-term genetic monitoring, and the ethical questions these tools raise. The survey frames conservation genomics as an increasingly central, rapidly evolving discipline for safeguarding the genetic future of the world's wild cats.