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Arts in Wild Felid Conservation Programmes in Poland and in the World

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Arts in Wild Felid Conservation Programmes in Poland and in the World J Vet Res 63, 457-464, 2019 DOI:10.2478/jvetres-2019-0043 REVIEW ARTICLE ARTs in wild felid conservation programmes in Poland and in the world Joanna Kochan1, Wojciech Niżański2, Nei Moreira3, Zalmir Silvino Cubas4, Agnieszka Nowak1, Sylwia Prochowska2, Agnieszka Partyka2, Wiesława Młodawska1, Józef Skotnicki5 1Institute of Veterinary Science, University of Agriculture in Kraków, 30-059 Kraków, Poland 2Department of Reproduction and Clinic of Farm Animals, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 50-366 Wrocław, Poland 3Federal University of Paraná, Palotina, PR 85950-000, Brazil 4ITAIPU Binacional, Refúgio Biológico Bela Vista, Foz do Iguaçu, PR 85856-970, Brazil 5City Zoological Park and Garden in Kraków Charitable Foundation, 30-232 Kraków, Poland [email protected] Received: January 11, 2019 Accepted: July 2, 2019 Abstract With the exception of the domestic cat, all felid species (Felidae) are currently threatened with extinction in their natural habitat. To develop effective and optimal wild cat conservation programmes with assisted reproductive technology (ART) it is necessary to combine advances from different disciplines of science, starting from the biology of the species, through research into the population and habitat, assisted reproductive technologies, establishment of gene banks, developing bioinformatic systems, and ending with biodiversity and endangered species management. In the last few years knowledge of felid reproduction has expanded considerably thanks to comparative studies utilising the domestic cat as a research model for endangered wild cats. Basic reproductive techniques utilised in both domestic cat breeding and rescuing wild felid populations that are threatened with extinction include semen collection and cryopreservation, artificial insemination, oocyte collection, in vitro maturation, in vitro fertilisation, somatic cloning, and embryo transfer. The main directions in which assisted reproductive technologies are being developed in wild cat conservation implementations and the contribution of Polish research centres in advancing these methods are presented. Keywords: wild felids, assisted reproduction technology, conservation, biodiversity. Introduction the Carpathian population, while the north-eastern areas are to the lowland population, which constitutes With the exception of the domestic cat, all felid part of a dispersed Baltic population. Currently species (Felidae) are currently threatened with approximately 200 lynx inhabit Poland, with the most extinction in their natural habitat. It is mainly caused by densely populated Carpathian Mountains providing the progress of civilisation leading to increased a habitat for a population standing at about 100 exploitation of natural resources, decreasing food individuals. The lowland population is divided into sources for carnivores, poaching, and road accidents. smaller, partly isolated groups with low chances of The decline of populations and their fragmentation into survival due to decreased biodiversity. Owing to the small, isolated groups significantly hinder gene flow continuous decrease in the lowland population, the lynx and thus pose a serious threat to the biodiversity of all was listed as an endangered species in Poland in 1995 cat species. Lynx and European wildcat populations in (43, 44). Poland are faced with these challenges. The Eurasian The situation of the European wildcat (Felis lynx (Lynx lynx) occurs in Poland in two isolated silvestris) is also very grave. The European wildcat is regions: the south-eastern part of the country is home to critically endangered in the entire territory of Poland © 2019 J. Kochan et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial-NoDerivs license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/) 458 J. Kochan et al./J Vet Res/63 (2019) 457-464 and has been protected here since 1952. Its indigenous a research model for endangered wild cats. Basic population is extremely small (approximately 100 reproductive techniques used both in domestic cat individuals) and estimating its size is particularly breeding and in rescuing wild felid populations that are difficult as wildcat tracks are often indistinguishable threatened with extinction include semen collection and from the tracks left by domestic cats. European wildcat cryopreservation, artificial insemination (AI), oocyte occurrence is limited to some sections of the collection, in vitro maturation (IVM), in vitro Podkarpackie Province. The severely reduced fertilisation (IVF), and embryo transfer (ET) (30, 31, population number and habitat fragmentation pose 32, 33, 36, 54, 55). These biotechniques have been a threat to the proper genetic diversity of this species. incorporated into wild cat conservation programmes all This situation is further worsened by crossbreeding over the world, but in Poland their application is still between the European wildcat and the domestic cat. In uncustomary. A scientific and industrial consortium view of these factors, the situation of the Polish was established in 2015 to change that situation. It population of the European wildcat seems to be critical consists of Wrocław University of Environmental and (43, 44). Life Sciences, the University of Agriculture in Kraków, The problems affecting our native populations of and the Zoological Garden in Kraków. Currently the the lynx and the European wildcat affect all wild feline consortium is involved in carrying out a project titled: species. There is no doubt that implementation of “Increasing innovativeness and efficiency of the advanced wild cat conservation programmes is programmes for the conservation of the wild felid essential. Wild felid conservation involves application genetic resources through the establishment of a cell of in situ methods, when a given species occurs in the bank and practical implementation of the methods for natural habitat, or ex situ methods in centres with in vitro embryo production” financed by the Polish a conservation mandate (e.g. reserves or zoos) by National Centre for Research and Development. taking advantage of the latest advances in Consortium members have also initiated cooperation biotechnology, cryobiology, and bioinformatics. with the Federal University of Paraná in Brazil, whose Besides raising and breeding animals in captivity, researchers have extensive experience in implementing ex situ methods include preservation of their genetic assisted reproductive techniques into wild felid material, usually in cell banks. conservation in South America (23, 24, 25, 26). Projects aimed at conservation of the indigenous The main directions in which assisted reproductive population of the lynx and European wildcat utilising in technologies are being developed in wild cat situ methods have been implemented in Poland for conservation implementations and the contribution of many years. In the case of lynx conservation, these Polish research centres in advancing these methods are professional activities in particular cover restoration presented in this article. and improvement of the connection between large forests, improvement of the forest quality, improvement of the availability of food sources, and Collecting semen from wild felids increasing biodiversity and expanding existing populations through reintroduction (43, 44). The areas Until now electroejaculation has commonly been inhabited by the European wildcat are usually protected used as a technique for in vivo collection of semen from as natural landscape parks or national parks wild cats. Despite general anaesthesia this method (Bieszczady National Park and Magura National Park). causes severe muscle cramps and engenders Despite a lot of efforts having been undertaken, considerable ethical controversy. Thus the application the population of the lynx and European wildcat in of this method has been partially limited in many Poland is not expanding into new or formerly inhabited countries. However, in countries where it is not banned, areas and is failing to grow. The lynx and European electroejaculation is used provided that all available wildcat conservation practices currently used do not safety measures have been taken and provided that the guarantee population persistence. A similar situation animal requires other treatments that require applies to all wild cat species living in their natural anaesthesia (Figs 1 and 2). Currently a method devised habitat all over the world. by Zambelli et al. (54) that involves urethral To develop effective and optimal wild cat catheterisation after medetomidine administration is conservation programmes it is necessary to combine gaining greater popularity (Fig. 3). Medetomidine advances from different disciplines of science, starting causes constriction of ejaculatory ducts and forces from the biology of the species, through research into semen into the urethra, so that after placing a catheter the population and habitat, assisted reproductive into the urethra it is possible to draw a semen sample. technologies, establishment of gene banks, developing In comparison with electroejaculation this method is far bioinformatic systems, and ending with biodiversity more humanitarian and safer for animals. Moreover, it and endangered species management. can be used concurrently with other veterinary In the last few years knowledge of felid treatments. The research conducted by our team on the reproduction has expanded considerably thanks to domestic cat so far indicates
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