Evolutionary History of Great Bustard Deserves Reconsideration

The Great Bustard is a vulnerable species that inhabits northern Morocco, South and Central Europe, temperate Central and East Asia. For design of adequate conservation strategies, it is essential to understand evolutionary history and phylogeny. However, there is no consensus in the literature on these aspects. Thus, it is essential to analyze possible development scenarios of the species and make hypotheses that could help conserve the species. It seems plausible that important periods in evolutionary history of the Great Bustard are Miocene, Pleistocene and the early Holocene, and especially glacial periods. Human history had profound, yet multifarious effects on the species. Current human activity is among the main drivers of the Great Bustard decline. Unique evolutionary history and population insolation during the Ice Age makes this species particularly vulnerable to extinction. Urgent conservation actions considering its genetics are essential to save the species.