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In this article, we will discuss the methods of assisted reproduction used in the conservation of endangered mammals, limited to IVF, embryo transfer, and surrogacy. Before proceeding to discuss the methods of assisted reproduction, first, we will recall what are endangered species and what measures can be taken to conserve them.
What are Endangered Species?
An endangered species can be defined as:
A species that is threatened by extinction is referred to as an endangered species.
The survival rate of a species is higher if it is kept in its natural habitat. The species should be kept in their natural habitat because it contains all the support elements that are required to maintain the life of its members. Several conservation methods are used to protect the species that are on the verge of extinction. Examples of these methods include national and marine parks.
When it is impossible to keep an endangered species in a national or marine park, then it can be caught and placed in captivity in an effort to prevent its extinction. Examples of these kinds of conservation attempts include zoos and botanic gardens. Scientists have also discovered other methods to conserve species in the long run through frozen zoos and seed banks.
In the next section of the article, we will discuss how different conservation methods play their role in protecting endangered plant, animal, and marine species.
Roles of Different Conservation Methods for Endangered Species
Different conservation methods are used today to protect endangered species. These methods are discussed below:
- National Parks: National parks play a vital role in protecting endangered animal and plant species via strict regulations. Through national parks, governments engage the public in conservation efforts.
- Marine Parks: Like national parks, marine parks also protect endangered species, however, as the name implies, they only protect marine species. They also help to raise awareness about the endangered marine species in the public.
- Zoos: Sometimes endangered species are captured and kept in the zoo where they are subjected to captive breeding programs so that the animal species can be reintroduced into the wild. Zoos also help scientists in furthering their research on a specific endangered species.
- Botanic Gardens: Like zoos, botanic gardens have also captive breeding programs in place to reintroduce the plant species into the wild. These gardens help the scientists in doing their research on endangered plant species
- Frozen Zoos: Frozen zoos play their role in conservation efforts by storing the genetic material of animals at extremely low temperatures.
- Seed Banks: Seed banks play a fundamental role in the conservation of endangered plant species by storing their seeds in a temperature-controlled environment.
In the next sections of the article, we will discuss the methods of assisted reproduction employed in the conservation of endangered mammals, limited to IVF, embryo transfer, and surrogacy.
Assisted Reproduction
Endangered species of mammals usually have small and isolated populations which are prone to inbreeding and inbreeding depression. The inbreeding depression can be defined as:
The reduction in fitness of a population because of the breeding between the closely related individuals which results in enhanced homozygosity is referred to as inbreeding depression
The isolated populations make it difficult for its individuals to find suitable reproductive mates. In the past, large mammals were moved between zoos in captive breeding programs for conservation efforts. The benefit of these programs was that scientists could monitor the health of the mother and fetus. Apart from this benefit, this program also had an inherent disadvantage as it was very expansive and unpredictable because some individuals refused to mate. In the past few years, scientists have come up with many solutions for inbreeding and the absence of reproductive mates in endangered species of mammals.
IVF
In vitro fertilization implies the fertilization of an egg outside the body of the female. For instance, the egg can be fertilized in a test tube or a petri dish. The method of in vitro fertilization is discussed below:
Procedure
- To extract the eggs, scientists insert a needle into female ovaries
- For some time, the eggs are put in a culture medium
- To fertilize the egg, scientists mix the male semen with eggs
- It results in the formation of many zygotes which develop into embryos
- The embryos are then put in culture for many days
- These embryos are then either transferred to the mother whose eggs were extracted or another female
Benefit of In Vitro Fertilization
The benefit of in vitro fertilization is that it enables humans to monitor and confirm the fertilization of the embryo.
Transfer of Embryo
Due to certain complications, pregnancies can be life-threatening for females. Because the population of endangered species is already extremely low, hence each female in that population is highly important. The method of embryo transfer can be employed to prevent the risks associated with pregnancies in vulnerable females. By protecting a female, scientists can get several eggs to produce multiple offspring of that species.
Procedure
- Scientists fertilize the egg that belongs to a female of the endangered species with sperm that belongs to the male of the same species
- The fertilization results in the formation of a zygote which later develops into an embryo
- After fertilization has occurred, the embryo from the female’s uterus is taken and transferred to a surrogate female
- The embryo then results in the birth of the offspring after developing into full term
The surrogate mother can belong to another non-vulnerable species. Scientists have been using the technique of embryo transfer to protect the populations of many different species of African antelope
Surrogacy
A surrogate refers to any female the becomes pregnant with another female’s embryo. The surrogate mother carries the embryo to full term and gives birth to the offspring. To receive an embryo from another female, a surrogate mother is subjected to hormone treatment. The hormone treatment ensures that her uterus is in the optimal condition for the embryo to embed.
The embryo might be conceived either naturally, through artificial insemination, or IVF. A surrogate and biological mothers can either belong to the same or different species. In the case of different species, they must be closely related for ensuring that the embryo and uterus are compatible.
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