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SAFRICA-ANIMAL-CONSERVATION-RESEARCH
S.African lion cubs conceived artificially in world first
BRITS, South Africa, Sept 30, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Watching the two little lion
cubs boisterously play with each other at a conservation centre outside of
South Africa’s capital Pretoria, it’s hard to see anything out of the
ordinary.
But these cubs are unique.
“These are the first ever lion cubs to be born by means of artificial
insemination — the first such pair anywhere in the world,” announced the
University of Pretoria, whose scientists are researching the reproductive
system of female African lions.
The two cubs, a male and female, born on August 25 are healthy and normal,
said Andre Ganswindt, the director of the University of Pretoria’s mammal
research institute.
His team’s breakthrough came after 18 months of intensive trials.
“We collected sperm from a healthy lion,” Ganswindt told AFP.
Then when the lioness’ hormone levels were found to be viable, she was
inseminated artificially.
“And luckily it was successful,” said Ganswindt, adding that “there were
several attempts, but surprisingly it didn’t take too much effort”.
He said the breakthrough could be repeated, with scientists hoping the
technique can be used to save other endangered big cats.
Lions are extinct in 26 African countries and numbers in the wild have
plummeted 43 percent over the last two decades, with roughly only 20,000
left, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN),
which lists the African lion as vulnerable.
“If we are not doing something about it, they will face extinction,” said
Ganswindt.
– ‘Another tool in conservation box’ –
He said that rather than move the lions for breeding, the new technique
would let breeders to simply transport the sperm to receptive females, as is
done with the captive elephant population in Northern America and Europe.
The findings are part of research being done by Isabel Callealta, a Spanish
veterinarian and PhD student at the University of Pretoria.
Callealta personally trained the lions to lie next to a fence, where they
would freely give blood samples to determine hormonal levels and assess the
perfect time for insemination.
The research was carried out at the Ukutula Conservation Center, 80
kilometres (50 miles) northwest of Pretoria in South Africa’s North West
province.
Imke Lueders, a scientist involved in the study, said “having the first
lion cubs ever born from artificial insemination in their natural range
country, and not in a zoo overseas, is an important milestone for South
Africa”.
“Assisted reproduction techniques are another tool in our conservation box,
of course not a sole solution, but another technology that we can use to
protect endangered species,” she said.
Andre Mentz, a prominent lion breeder in South Africa’s Free State
province, described the birth of the cubs as “very revolutionary”.
But animal welfare organisations are less enthused.
“The captive lion breeding industry in South Africa is exploitative and
profit-driven,” said Mark Jones of the Born Free Foundation.
“It generates its income through interaction activities (lion cub petting
and lion walks), canned trophy hunting of lions and the lion skeleton trade,
while contributing nothing to lion conservation,” he added.
A group of 18 international and African conservation organisations wrote a
letter addressed to the scientists saying they do not support the study, but
did acknowledge artificial insemination could help other imperilled wild cats
like the cheetah.
However Paul Funston of wild cat conservation organisation Panthera raised
fears about “anything new which gives any validity to the captive lion
industry”.
After all, he said, “in captivity lions breed like flies — most cats do”.
BSS/AFP/GMR/1008 hrs