|
Toronto, Ontario: Two
bison calves, were successfully born through artificial insemination on
July 2, 2014 and July 5, 2014. It has been determined by Zookeepers
that both calves are female.
This
is the fourth consecutive year that the Toronto Zoo has had wood bison
calves born through artificial insemination, as part of an ongoing
research program with our collaborators at the University of
Saskatchewan and Parks Canada.
“Reproductive
technologies, such as artificial insemination, are important tools for
improving the genetic management of small populations,” says Dr.
Gabriela Mastromonaco, Curator of Reproductive Programs and Research,
Toronto Zoo.
“These techniques will help us overcome the challenges of
managing the endemic disease that is threatening wood bison herds in the
wild. Preservation and distribution of disease-free genetic material,
in the form of sperm or embryos, will enable us to maintain genetically
diverse disease-free herds in captivity and the wild.”
Gestation period for the wood bison is 9 to 9 1/2 months. Cows
leave the herd and give birth alone and rejoin the herd with the calf
as soon as it is able to stand, which is about 2 to 3 hours. Calves
nurse for up to one year and remain with their mother for three at which
time they become sexually mature. Full maturity does not come until they are eight years old. The wood bison life span is about twenty years.
Toronto
Zoo has been involved in wood bison conservation since 1977 with
captive breeding and reintroduction of animals back into the wild. Since
that time, efforts from various organizations have resulted in the
species being down listed from “endangered” to “threatened”. On-going
disease concerns in remaining wood bison populations continue to
threaten this species.
Want
to learn more? Stop by the Zoo’s Wood Bison Exhibit in the Canadian
Domain on Thursday, July 24, 2014 to meet Dr. Mastromonaco at 11:00am
and 2:00pm for a special question and answer session. This encounter is
to honour our 40 Day Animal Countdown in celebration of the Zoo’s 40th Anniversary on Friday, August 15, 2014.
| |
Find us on...
Celebrating 40 Years Of Saving And Protecting Species At Home And Abroad
The
Toronto Zoo is Canada's premier zoo and a leader in animal preservation
and environmental protection. More than a tourist attraction, the
Toronto Zoo boasts a number of leading programs for helping wildlife and
their natural habitats – from species reintroduction to reproductive
research. A world-class educational centre for people of all ages, the
Toronto Zoo is open every day except December 25 and attracts
approximately 1.3 million visitors each year.
torontozoo.com
Toronto
Zoo is accredited by CAZA (Canada's Accredited Zoos and Aquariums).
Look for this logo whenever you visit a Canadian zoo as your assurance
that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care
for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all
living things. For more information, visit caza.ca.
|
No comments:
Post a Comment