Research overview: outbreeding depression and the risks of genetic rescue

While genetic rescue can revive inbred populations, mixing divergent populations carries a theoretical risk of outbreeding depression, where hybrids are less fit due to disrupted local adaptation or genetic incompatibilities. This overview surveys how this concern is evaluated in felid conservation, the largely positive outcomes observed in cases like the Florida panther where source and recipient were historically connected, and the precautions managers take when populations are more divergent. It discusses how genomic data help predict compatibility, the importance of matching source populations to restore historical gene flow, and how weighing rescue benefits against outbreeding risks shapes intervention decisions for endangered cats.