The Department of Museums and Zoos has commenced steps to prepare an assisted breeding protocol to facilitate captive breeding in the Thiruvananthapuram zoo.
With an eye on maintaining the biodiversity in the zoo, the need to conserve indigenous and endangered species is being accorded high priority.
As part of embarking on the mission, the zoo authorities are organising a two-day workshop on advances in wildlife anaesthesia and the application of advanced reproductive technology in conservation, which got under way at the Zoological Gardens here on Monday.
According to Jacob Alexander, Senior Veterinary Surgeon, Zoological Gardens, Thiruvananthapuram, the recommendations generated by the workshop, which involved experts in the field of advanced reproductive technology in wildlife and wildlife anaesthesia, will be compiled to assess how best the existing facilities could be improved to implement an assisted breeding protocol.
“The various aspects of conservation breeding including semen collection, artificial insemination and embryo transfer will be extensively discussed. Various problems that were associated with electroejaculation to obtain semen from animals after administering anaesthesia will also be deliberated,” he said.
Important aspects
Dr. Alexander pointed out that population control and bio-security were among the most important aspects in the management of the zoo. He said the unbridled population growth in zoos could have several repercussions including outbreak of diseases.
The precautionary efforts that have been made in the Thiruvananthapuram zoo to protect animals from diseases have attained positive results.
“Despite several cases of hand, foot and mouth disease being reported in the State capital in the recent past, the Thiruvananthapuram zoo has not had any confirmed cases during the last 11 years. ,” Dr. Alexander added.
Thiruvananthapuram Zoological Garden superintendent T.V. Anil Kumar inaugurated the workshop. The speakers at the workshop included Nigel Caulkett, Professor in the Department of Clinical and Diagnostic Science, and Jacob Thundathil, Associate Dean University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Canada.
