IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group Library

IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library

View printer friendly
Friedmann, Y.; Bartels, P.
The application of artificial insemination to, and the DNA analysis of the lions at the Lion Safari Park
2000 African Lion News - The newsletter of the AFRICAN lion working group (2): 6-7
The working group of the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) centre and the Lion Safari Park have entered into a joint project, funded by Tau Lodge (Madikwe) and the Lomas Wildlife Trust to develop artificial insemination as a conservation tool for the maintenance of genetic diversity and population health in African lions. Isolated lion populations, such as the Ngorongoro Crater lion population, have been observed to suffer the effects of inbreeding, resulting in a decline in reproductive performance and reduced disease resistance. In Southern Africa there are a number of game reserves whose resident lion population is isolated from other populations. In order to prevent and counteract inbreeding, new genetic material may be infused into an existing isolated population by means of either translocating unrelated individual animals between isolated populations or by artificially inseminating females using sperm from unrelated males in other populations.
	PDF files are only accessible to Friends of the Cat Group. Joining Friends of the Cat Group gives you unlimited access and downloads in the Cat SG Library for one year, and allows you to receive our newsletter Cat News (2 regular issues per year plus special issues). More information how to join here