Gabby Drake (Chester Zoo & Nature’s SAFE) presented a talk at the British Deer Veterinary Association meeting held on 26 November 2022, on developing methods to support the breeding of the Balabac mouse deer (Tragulus nigricans). This species of mouse deer is listed by the IUCN as endangered and there is a small, and mainly female, population managed in European zoos.
Mouse deer, also called chevrotains, were an early branch of the evolutionary group Ruminantia, and as well as sharing features with their cousins the cervids, share some features with the suids too, making then unchartered territory for assisted reproduction. The presentation included techniques for post mortem semen collection and storage, artificial insemination and monitoring of reproductive hormone cycles and pregnancy diagnosis using non-invasive faecal samples.
Clinical techniques are challenging in these tiny animals and the reported Artificial Insemination attempt represents a first for this species, and a step towards developing assisted reproductive technologies to further their conservation.
Don’t miss
In an exciting milestone for UK wildlife conservation, the charity has now safely stored cell tissues from the critically endangered Scottish wildcat, bringing their total number of species banked to 200.
Last week, we had the incredible opportunity to visit two of our valued conservation partners – Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park and Watatunga Wildlife Reserve. These two institutions both exemplify the profound impact that dedication to wildlife preservation can have on protecting our planet's biodiversity.
Nature’s SAFE are excited to announce that our co-founder and charity coordinator Dr Rhiannon Bolton has successfully published a new paper reviewing assisted reproductive technologies and biobanking.
Asian short-clawed otter
Total Population: Unknown
Mandarin duck
Total Population: Around 65,000 in the wild
Bar-headed goose
Total Population: 97,000 - 118,000 in the wild
Black tree monitor
Total Population: Unknown
Red-footed tortoise
Total Population: Unknown
White naped mangabey
Total Population: Around 1,000 in the wild
Collared peccary
Total Population: More than 2,000,000 in the wild
Senegal galago
Total Population: Unknown
Sloth bear
Total Population: Less than 20,000 in the wild
Fea’s tree frog
Total Population: Unknown
Guianan Squirrel Monkey
Total Population: Around 150,000 in the wild
Arctic wolf
Total Population: Around 200,000 in the wild
Macaroni Penguin
Total Population: Around 12 million
Spix’s night monkey
Total Population: Unknown
Parma Wallaby
Total Population: 1,000 - 10,000 in the wild
Lesser Madagascan tenrec
Total Population: Unknown
Black Hornbill
Total Population: Unknown
Common Hippo
Total Population: Less than 150,000 in the wild
