Date: April
5, 2018
Source:
James Cook University
James Cook University researchers in
Australia have helped develop a new way to save endangered African wild dogs.
Dr Damien Paris and PhD student Dr Femke Van
den Berghe from the Gamete and Embryology (GAME) Lab at James Cook University,
have successfully developed a sperm freezing technique for the species (Lycaon
pictus).
The highly efficient pack hunters have
disappeared from most of their original range across sub-Saharan Africa due to
habitat destruction, human persecution and canine disease, leaving less than
6,600 animals remaining in the wild.
Dr Paris said population management and
captive breeding programs have begun, but there is a problem.
"One goal of the breeding programs is to
ensure the exchange of genetic diversity between packs, which is traditionally
achieved by animal translocations. But, due to their complex pack hierarchy,
new animals introduced to an existing pack are often attacked, sometimes to the
point of being killed," he said.
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