Data from: Understanding geographic origins and history of admixture among chimpanzees in European zoos, with implications for future breeding programmes

Despite ample focus on this endangered species, conservation planning for
chimpanzees residing outside Africa has proven a challenge because of the
lack of ancestry information. Here, we analysed the largest number of
chimpanzee samples to date, examining microsatellites in >100
chimpanzees from the range of the species in Africa, and 20% of the
European zoo population. We applied the knowledge about subspecies
differentiation throughout equatorial Africa to assign origin to
chimpanzees in the largest conservation management programme globally. A
total of 63% of the genotyped chimpanzees from the European zoos could be
assigned to one of the recognized subspecies. The majority being of West
African origin (40%) will help consolidate the current breeding programme
for this subspecies and the identification of individuals belonging to the
two other subspecies so far found in European zoos can form the basis for
breeding programmes for these. Individuals of various degree of mixed
ancestry made up 37% of the genotyped European zoo population and thus
highlight the need for appropriate management programmes guided by genetic
analysis to preserve maximum genetic diversity and reduce hybridization
among subspecies.