IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Swanson, W.F.; Johnson, W.E.; Cambre, R.C.; Citino, S.B.; Quigley, K.B.; Brousset, D.M.; Morais, R.N.; Moreira, N.; O'Brien, S.J.; Wildt, D.E. | |
| Reproductive Status of Endemic Felid Species in Latin American Zoos and Implications for Ex Situ Conservation | |
| 2003 Zoo Biology (22): 421-441 | |
Reproductive evaluations were conducted on 185 male cats representing eight endemic Latin American species that were maintained in 44 zoos and private facilities in 12 Latin American countries. Reproductive assessments (testicular measures, ejaculate quality, and blood testosterone/cortisol concentration) were used to establish normative values for large- and small-sized cats in Latin American collections. Data also were analyzed using multiple regression to study the impact of proven breeder status, diet, and various animal housing combinations. Most felids (>95%) in the survey were of wild-born origin, and <20% had produced offspring in captivity. Larger felids had bigger tests and produced more semen, but tended to produce low-sperm-density ejaculates. The ejaculates of small felids were more sperm-Concentrated, but contained fewer total spermatozoa. Sperm motility was unrelated to species size, and certain species (puma, margay, tigrina, and jaguarundi) consistently produced few (<40%) normal sperm forms. Across species, >50% of males had low sperm counts. |
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