IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| de Haas van Dorsser, F.J.; Strick, J.A. | |
| Semen characteristics and sperm morphology in the Arabian leopard (_Panthera pardus nimr_) and how these vary with age and season | |
| 2005 Reproduction, Fertility and Development (17): 675-682 | |
The Arabian leopard is a critically endangered species. Since there are only an estimated 200 animals remaining in the wild, careful management of the captive population is necessary to minimize inbreeding. The objective of this study was to characterize sperm morphology and ejaculate quality in captive males. Semen was collected by electroejaculation from 8 adult captive males leopards (aged 2-16 years) during the summer and winter months, and semen parameters, including sperm morphology, were assessed. Two-year-old leopards showed lower total sperm counts per ejaculate than older animals and these counts declined at >8 years. Ejaculates collected during the hot summer showed significantly lower sperm concentrations, total sperm counts, sperm motility and viability and percentage of spermatozoa showing normal morphology than ejaculates collected in cooler winter. The results showed that the male leopard attains sexual maturity between 2 and 3 years of age and exhibits good semen quality until 8 years. Collection of semen for artificial breeding would best be carried out in the cooler winter months. |
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