Reproductive disorders in free-ranging wildlife under Anthropogenic pressure

Abstract

Reproductive efficiency is a critical determinant of wildlife population persistence, particularly in India, which supports 7-8% of global biodiversity within 2.4% of the world’s land area. Despite conservation gains in flagship species such as tigers, many populations persist in fragmented and human-dominated landscapes where reproductive health remains under-evaluated. Infectious pathogens, endocrine-disrupting contaminants, nutritional stress, climate variability, and anthropogenic interventions interact to impair fertility, embryonic survival, and sex ratio balance. Habitat fragmentation, expanding wildlife-livestock interfaces, and exposure to pesticides and heavy metals further exacerbate reproductive vulnerability. Diagnostic assessment in free-ranging systems requires integration of demographic monitoring, non-invasive endocrine profiling, pathogen detection, pathology, and toxicology. Across taxa, reproductive dysfunction often precedes detectable mortality trends and serves as an early ecological indicator. Strengthening reproductive surveillance within a One Health framework is essential for sustainable conservation planning under increasing anthropogenic pressure.