Jaguar populations are declining so researchers turned to artificial insemination to try to help the species. They chose five healthy jaguars for this experiment, including one named Bianca. In November 2018, the scientists inseminated her with the AI Embryo Transfer technique created by the experts at the Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW). In February, the cub was born in good health at Brazil’s environmental organization Mata Ciliar. But it vanished from the maternity den two days later. The researchers believe it may have been eaten by the mother.
Bianca and Her New Baby
“Unfortunately after two days, the cub died,” said a spokesperson for Mata Ciliar. “We don’t know why and cannot say if it was killed by the mother because it was not seen on the monitors on the second day. Bianca was a first-time mother and this may have influenced the outcome of the event. The veterinary team could not conduct a necropsy because the baby had already been eaten.”
According to Dr. Lindsey Vansandt, theriogenologist and the lead scientist on the project, filial cannibalism is not uncommon for carnivores.
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Artificial Insemination for Jaguars
Therefore, artificial insemination may still be a solution to saving jaguars. “The jaguar is the last of the seven species of large-sized felines to undergo artificial insemination (AI),” said Dr. Bill Swanson, CREW’s director of animal research. “The birth of this cub is an important historical landmark. It invigorates the possibility of the use of assisted reproduction as a management tool that increases the genetic variability of (captive and wild) populations and the conservation of these endangered iconic cats.”
“An Important Milestone”
The laparoscopic AI method was developed by CREW. They had used it previously on other species of wild cats in need of conservation. “By using a systematic research strategy, we were able to improve our understanding of the jaguar’s unique reproductive biology and make species-specific modifications to our standard AI approach,” said Vansandt. “The jaguar is the last of the seven big cat species to be produced by AI. The birth of this cub is an important milestone and invigorates the possibility of using assisted reproduction as a management tool to conserve this iconic cat.”
A Bittersweet Experiment
After giving birth to her single cub, Bianca seemed to take good care of it for a few days, according to remote video monitoring. But after two days, the cub disappeared. “From a scientific perspective, we’re celebrating the fact that the cub was born healthy and that the AI was a success,” said Vansandt. “It’s disappointing that the cub did not survive longer, but it’s not uncommon for carnivores, especially first-time mothers, to behave this way with their offspring.” Although the experiment ended tragically, the researchers involved have high hopes for its implications for the species.
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Jaguar Repopulation
In 2021, American and Brazilian scientists repeated the experiment on Bianca and another female jaguar called Tabatinga. However, the results of this endeavor have not been made clear to the public.
Vansandt explained the reason for repeating the procedure. “The population sort of becomes smaller and smaller, and then you get inbreeding which has lots of bad consequences,” she explained. “If we can take sperm from one male and inseminate a female from another location, we can keep their gene flow moving and keep the population more healthy.”
A “Near Threatened” Species
Jaguar populations have been declining due to habitat loss and poaching, giving them the classification of ‘near threatened’ in Latin America. They are the third-largest cats in the world. They live across 18 countries from Mexico to Argentina, in savannahs, shrublands, and forests. About half of their entire population currently resides in Brazil.