In situ and ex situ jaguar (Panthera onca) reproduction: What do we have so far?

Abstract

Assisted reproductive technologies enable the transportation and exchange of genetic material, so it is an essential complementary tool in conservation programs. Unfortunately, the difficulty of accessing a significant number of animals under suitable physiological conditions hampers the advancement of these technologies. Pharmacological semen collection in jaguars is effective in acquiring a sufficient amount of sperm. However, the outcomes of artificial insemination (AI) and in vitro fertilization operations are impacted by poor sperm quality and limited freezability of the cells. Hormonal stimulation with eCG and hCG may be used to collect oocytes in jaguars; however, proximity to males influences ovarian response to exogenous hormones. Thus, the non-copulatory ovulation stimuli pattern must be considered in AI and laparoscopic ovum pick-up protocols in this species. Somatic cells may be an alternative for biobanks since they are easier to collect and transport and can be obtained from any age, sex, or origin of an animal, including post-mortem samples. Our research group recently succeeded in cultivating cells from three jaguars that were found dead on highways, demonstrating that cultivation is effective even in degenerating tissues. In this instance, xenotransplantation of cryopreserved fragments improved culture effectiveness and brought cell quality back up to par with that of fresh tissue.