ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION FOR GIANT PANDAS

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Sat 19 Nov 2005 Despite the current success, panda numbers remain

precariously low.

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article<http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/email.cfm?id=2265752005>Science

offers new life for giant pandas

 

*MICHAEL BLACKLEY*

 

A RISE in the number of giant pandas being born through artificial

insemination has given hope that the endangered species could yet be saved.

 

This year, 25 pandas have been born in China through artificial insemination

- a record number of births by that method. Of those, 21 have survived past

six months.

 

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The success of the procedure has been celebrated by many scientists as they

attempt to overcome the threats to the decreasing panda population posed by

their low rates of fertility and reproduction. There remain only a

precariously low 1,590 giant pandas living in the wild, with a further 160

in captivity worldwide, making them one of the world's most endangered

species.

 

Zhang Zhihe, a director of the Giant Panda Breeding Technology Committee in

China, said: " This year has witnessed the largest number of surviving

newborn pandas in China's history of artificial fertilisation. We owe this

to Chinese scientists. They have acquired mature technologies and valuable

experience after years of hard work. "

 

The use of artificial insemination has offered a new solution to overcoming

the problem of pandas being notoriously unwilling to breed.

 

Scientists have been trying to increase panda numbers through captive

breeding and artificial insemination since the 1960s.

 

Wild pandas appear to show little interest in reproduction and attempts at

mating by those in captivity is even rarer.

 

More than 60 per cent of male pandas in captivity show no sexual desire at

all, and only a tenth of them will mate naturally. Added to this, female

pandas are able to become pregnant only once a year.

 

Artificial insemination is now seen as one of the best ways to increase

panda numbers in the wild, although efforts are made to encourage them to

mate naturally. The Chinese research centre has also been giving them " sex

education " classes as they enter adulthood - showing them videos of other

pandas mating in a desperate attempt to arouse their instincts.

 

The classes have had a degree of success, with scientists reporting that the

animals are often " glued to the screen " , and a small increase in natural

births has been seen among the viewers.

 

The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) has been one of the leading

innovators in using artificial insemination to aid breeding among endangered

species. They have used the methods to great effects in London with Asian

elephants and Sumatran tigers.

 

Wayne Boardman, the head of veterinary services at ZSL, said: " To have 21

out of 25 pandas live through the birth process is an incredibly high result

and a great success.

 

" We have seen that artificial insemination can be very successful for

certain endangered species.

 

" The species who remain in captivity are part of a captive insurance policy

for animals who are in danger of extinction, so it is essential that those

in captivity are breeding.

 

" The problem with pandas is that when they are in captivity they are

notoriously poor breeders, but when they are in the wild they face

horrendous conditions, so artificial insemination is a good option. "

 

Sixteen of the surviving baby pandas were born at the Wolong Giant Panda

Breeding and Research Centre in the south-western province of Sichuan, where

most pandas in the wild live.

 

Last year, 30 artificially fertilised giant pandas produced 12 offspring,

but only nine of these survived.

 

Mr Boardman believes that the increasing numbers born via the procedure is

encouraging, although it should not be relied on as the only way to breed

pandas in captivity.

 

He said: " It is great that so many have been born through artificial

insemination, but it should always be used as a second option only. You need

to first ask why they are not breeding naturally and look to how you can

ensure that the surroundings are right.

 

" Artificial insemination is extremely costly and time-consuming, so should

always remain only a second option to natural breeding. "

 

As well as their own low sex drive, wild giant pandas, which on average live

between 25 and 30 years, face numerous threats to their survival in the

wild. Their fragmented habitat in south-west China means that they often

exist in very small populations over a large stretch of land.

 

Human threats, in particular poaching, also pose grave danger for pandas.

 

More concerns were raised for the dwindling population earlier this year,

when scientists said the pandas faced a new danger with many bamboo shoots

beginning to die off - a cycle that happens every 60 years.

 

With 99 per cent of a panda's diet made up of 30 different species of bamboo

shoots, any decline in available plants could leave pandas facing starvation

as they hunt for new batches of the high-nutrition food.

 

Because they also have a highly inefficient digestive system, where they

digest only about 20 per cent of bamboo's dry matter, they need to eat the

plant to excess in order to gain enough energy.

 

As a result, a panda can need to eat anywhere between 12kg and 38kg of

bamboo shoots, leaves and stems every 24 hours.

 

A further reason that they struggle to reproduce is that mating takes place

only between March and May every year.

 

However, the success of the artificial insemination programme has not been

welcomed by everyone.

 

Callum Rankine, the head of species at the conservation organisation WWF ,

said: " In terms of conservation of the species, 25 births is not highly

relevant. We need to ask why these 'bears' have been bred, as none of them

will be released back into the wild. All the focus seems to go into small

breeding programmes in captivity, but very little is done to aid wild

breeding.

 

" We need to start giving the wild panda the benefit of the doubt. They know

how to breed - they've been doing it for hundreds of years. They aren't good

at breeding in captivity, but would you be when people are watching you

while you are locked up in a zoo?

 

" We need to help improve the conditions of reserves in the wild and let a

panda get on with being a panda, rather than locking them up in captivity. "