Range expansion as an explanation for introgression in European wildcats

Introgression between domestic and wild taxa is a conservation issue because it can lead to the genetic extinction of wild taxa. Understanding the causes of introgression is thus a crucial task for conservation biologists. Here we provide evidence from biparentally, paternally and maternally inherited genetic markers in hybridizing European wildcats (Felis silvestris silvestris) and domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus) that one cause of...