Friday, Jul 24, 2026 The claims desk. Receipts included. POWERED BY LENZ ↗
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SCIENCE

The Claim

Pandey, Hyun, Yu, and Lee (2021) analyzed 36 captive big cats (tigers, lions, and leopards) at Seoul Grand Park Zoo using PCR amplification of 33 microsatellite (STR) loci and reported that leopards had the highest genetic diversity, followed by lions and then tigers.

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The Short Version

The claim is well supported by the 2021 indexed study. The paper describes 36 captive tigers, lions, and leopards from Seoul Grand Park Zoo, analysis of 33 microsatellite loci, and a diversity ranking with leopards highest, then lions, then tigers. The exact author listing is less directly shown in the provided snippets, but nothing in the evidence contradicts it.

Caveats

  • The genetic-diversity ranking applies to 36 captive animals at one zoo; it should not be read as a species-wide conclusion for all wild or captive populations.
  • The provided evidence more directly confirms the study’s methods and findings than the exact author lineup; bibliographic details are best checked on the official article record.
  • “PCR amplification” is consistent with STR/microsatellite analysis, but the strongest source is phrased more generally as amplification of 33 loci.

The Receipts

  1. Microsatellite characterization and development of unified STR panel for big cats in captivity: a case study from a Seoul Grand Park Zoo, Republic of Korea - PubMed

    PubMed

  2. Insights for the Captive Management of South China Tigers Based on a Large-Scale Genetic Survey - MDPI

    MDPI

  3. High genetic diversity and low differentiation reflect the ecological versatility of the African leopard - PubMed

    PubMed

  4. Whole genome survey of big cats (Genus: Panthera) identifies novel microsatellites of utility in conservation genetic study - PubMed

    PubMed

  5. ::: Welcome to Conservation Genome Resource Bank for Korean Wildlife :::

    Conservation Genome Resource Bank for Korean Wildlife

  6. (PDF) Whole genome survey of big cats (Genus: Panthera) identifies novel microsatellites of utility in conservation genetic study - ResearchGate

    ResearchGate

  7. ASIAN BIG CAT'S CONSERVATION GENETICS WORKSHOP - Convention on Biological Diversity

    Convention on Biological Diversity

  8. Seventeen From Sad Zoo to Happy Zoo: The Changing Animal Welfare and Conservation Priorities of the Seoul Zoo in South Korea - Welcome to partner presses on Oxford Academic

    Oxford Academic

  9. Tiger, lion and leopard genomes revealed assisting big cats' conservation - EurekAlert!

    EurekAlert!

  10. Whole genome survey of big cats (Genus: Panthera) identifies novel microsatellites of utility in conservation genetic study | bioRxiv

    bioRxiv

Filed Under

HyunLeePandeySeoul Grand Park ZooYu