Question

Question
Why is the cheetah gene pool small today?(1 point)
Responses

multiple bottleneck events
multiple bottleneck events

poor adaptability
poor adaptability

inbreeding in zoos
inbreeding in zoos

lack of advantageous traits

Answer 1

The primary reason for the small gene pool of cheetahs today is **multiple bottleneck events**. Over time, events such as habitat loss, poaching, and changes in prey availability have greatly reduced their population, leading to a significant decrease in genetic diversity. This has made them more susceptible to diseases and other threats. While inbreeding in zoos and poor adaptability are also factors, the historical bottleneck events are the main cause of their currently small gene pool.