Research overview: genetics of extinct tiger populations

Several tiger populations vanished in the 20th century, including the Caspian, Bali, and Javan tigers, and ancient or historical DNA has been used to clarify their relationships. This overview surveys how museum specimens yield genetic data that place extinct forms within the tiger tree, revealing for instance the close tie between the Caspian and Amur tigers. It explains the technical challenges of degraded DNA and the conservation relevance of these studies, such as identifying the nearest living relatives for potential ecological replacement. The piece connects extinct-population genetics to the subspecies debate, since the distinctiveness of lost forms informs how much variation the species once held. It illustrates how systematics extends to taxa no longer available for direct study, relying on the genetic record preserved in collections.