Solitaire October 2006 8/11/06 10:24 Page 1 ISSUE 17 (2006) SOLITAIRE 3 SOLITAIRE Training in zoo biology at Cuba’s National Zoological Park. 4 Zoo-based conservation in the Democratic Republic of Congo. 6 Rare diseases in endangered wild species. 13 Amphibian Biodiversity Conservation (ABC) Course. FOR GRADUATES OF THE INTERNATIONAL TRAINING CENTRE The frozen future: India’s Laboratory for the Conservation of Endangered Species (LaCONES) Brij Kishor Gupta graduated from ITC in 1993 and is now a scientist with the Central Zoo Department Guajarat Forest Authority, Ministry of Environment and Forests (Government of India) in New Delhi. Here he describes the development of an innovative laboratory to apply the latest technologies to the conservation of endangered species in India. The genetics of Asiatic lions are being investigated. ndia is home to 8% of the biodiversity is threatened by causes a reduction in genetic world’s life forms (81,250 destruction of the forests. The diversity. Iknown species of fauna consequences are far reaching and 46,286 plant species). for endemic animals such as A problem in need of a Nearly 20% of its 3.287 the Asiatic lion, the lion-tailed solution million km2 is covered by macaque, the Nilgiri tahr, the It is high time that India forest, of which a quarter has Malabar civet and the Malabar develops innovative strategies been demarcated for wrinkled tree frog, as the areas and action plans to tackle the conservation. left are too small to maintain problem.An ultra-modern viable minimum numbers, laboratory, LaCONES, is Unfortunately, this mega- and the resulting inbreeding therefore being set up in Solitaire October 2006 8/11/06 10:24 Page 2 Hyderabad,Andhra Pradesh, using biotechnological techniques – the ultimate approach to conserving Brij Kishor Gupta endangered species and pre- venting their extinction – to: • monitor genetic variation • establish gene banks using cryopreservation • analyse ovulation and semen quality to improve artificial insemination and captive breeding success • standardise AI techniques for wild animals, focusing on LaCONES: using innovative technology for conservation. non-surgical methods a very important role as identification • develop in vitro fertilisation laboratories for the planned • a molecular DNA-based and embryo transfer breeding of endangered method for sexing birds • develop cloning technology species, for example, in • a standardised method for for species where the selecting genotypes in Asiatic collecting semen from number of surviving lions and Bengal tigers that white-backed vultures, animals is extremely small. show a higher degree of Gupes bangalenses diversity. • the Himalayan wolf Unique aspects confirmed as a new species, This is perhaps the first time Canis himalayensis ‘It is high time that that organisations such as the • Olive ridleys shown to be Central Zoo Authority, the India develops ancestral to all other ridleys Council for Scientific and innovative strategies • based on molecular marker Industrial Research, the Centre and action plans to studies, endangered Star for Cellular and Molecular tackle the problem of tortoises confiscated from Biology and the Government smugglers have been of Andhra Pradesh have come the loss of genetic rehabilitated successfully together to undertake a diversity.’ • pregnancy achieved in black programme that none of them buck, spotted deer and blue individually would have been Achievements so far include: rock pigeon by assisted able to carry out. • species-specific reproduction microsatellite markers for • “Spotty”, a baby spotted The facility is now functional lion, tiger and leopard deer, produced using with a team headed by Dr Lalji • non-invasive methods for artificial insemination. Singh, Dr S. Shivaji and other DNA isolation from scat scientists for the use of Indian and hair samples; a universal Brij’s e-mail: zoos. The zoos themselves play primer for forensic species [email protected] Reproductive technology is being used to help the white- The pygmy hog, a species Durrell is also working with. backed vulture. Brij Kishor Gupta Brij Kishor Gupta 2 Solitaire October 2006 8/11/06 10:24 Page 3 Training in zoo biology at Cuba’s National Zoological Park Jorge Luis Polo Jorge Jorge Luis Polo Leal graduated from ITC in 1999. He is Principal Specialist in Clinical Laboratory Research and coordinator of the zoo biology training course at the National Zoological Park in Havana, Cuba, which he describes in this article. Jorge (centre, standing) with trainees learning to handle reptiles. uba, with an area of Today, Cuba has 15 zoos, research into species 11,452 km2, is located which need to develop conservation. We use Cbetween the Mexican according to the principles of conferences, videos and Gulf and the Caribbean Sea, the international zoo practical activities relating to forming part of the Greater community. Since 2000, when the management and capture Antilles. It is made up of I arrived after attending the of animals. So far, 88 trainees more than 1600 islands and training course at ITC, a zoo have graduated, including cays, of which Isla de la biology and management keeping, biology and Juventud, in the south, is the training programme has been administrative staff. most important. Cuba is a country with a rich diversity A new revolution of fauna and flora; a recent ‘This work is important This work is important as a count produced 16,546 animal as a means of means of transferring ability, species, including 200 land and transferring ability, experience and knowledge of 150 water birds, 46 mammals experience and the conservation of and 121 reptiles distributed knowledge of the endangered species to new among all ecosystems. The conservation of zoo professionals. ITC principal taxonomic groups endangered species to graduates have an obligation with very high levels of to transmit what they have endemism are molluscs (94% new zoo professionals.’ learned and start a new of species endemic), millipedes revolution in management (94%), amphibians (93%) and created at the National programmes at Cuban zoos, reptiles (75%). Zoological Park.The main increasing the opportunities objective of this course is to for collaboration between A changing role give all new personnel in national zoos and producing Zoos today contribute to contact with wild animals the solutions to common conservation plans for the methods they need to work problems. country’s wildlife. Before with them and carry out 1959, Cuba had only two zoos. I hope now that our efforts After the Cuban revolution, Number of graduates from courses at increase and that the Cuban one objective for the the National Zoo. zoo community will be government was to develop strengthened and able to these institutions, and in 1960 develop new captive breeding the National Zoological Park programmes for the country’s of Cuba was established in endangered species. Havana province, under the direction of Dr Abelardo Jorge’s e-mail: Moreno Bonilla. [email protected] 3 Solitaire October 2006 8/11/06 10:24 Page 4 Zoo-based conservation in the Democratic Republic of Congo Chifundera Kusamba Zacharie attended the Chifundera Kusamba Certificate course in 2000 and is currently Curator of Herpetology at the Centre de Recherche en Sciences Naturelles, Lwiro, Democratic Republic of Congo. In this article he describes the history and challenges of managing animals in captivity in DR Congo. Chifundera is currently Curator of Herpetology at Lwiro Zoo. eeping animals in a zoological garden is small and large mammals, while an aquarium one way of studying and conserving was installed at Uvira (altitude 750 m) on the Kbiological diversity. In the Democratic northwestern shores of Lake Tanganyika to Republic of Congo, conservation efforts are rear endemic fish in order to study their focused on its seven national parks, three taxonomy and breeding.Thanks to this station, biosphere reserves, 57 game reserves, 200 forest Stolonithrissa miodon (Cyclidae) was successfully reserves and five zoological and botanic translocated from Lake Tanganyika to Lake gardens. Kivu between 1959 and 1961. The colonial Belgian government created the Early breeding successes Centre de Recherche en Between 1960 and 1964, Sciences Naturelles (CRSN) several individuals from various (formerly Institut de ‘Since 1953, several taxa were kept in captivity. Recherche Scientifique en stations have been Successful mating and birth Afrique Centrale) in 1947. established in DR was recorded in gorillas Since 1953, several stations – Congo to maintain (Gorilla beringei graueri) in 1959, Nyamiringi-Itebero, Irangi, 1961 and 1965, while mating Chabondo-Bulambika, Lwiro, animals in captivity.’ between a captive female Tshibati and Uvira – have been chimpanzee and a wild male established in DR Congo to produced a baby weighing maintain animals in captivity. 1.225 kg in 1965.The baby was bottle-fed and survived. Lwiro Station, at an altitude of 1700 m, houses the headquarters of the CRSN, including In 1963, 22 chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes administration, laboratories and the Biology schweinfurthi) were successfully released. Many Department offices. Part of its 100-hectare area cases of breeding have been noted from is used as a zoo, of which a very important rodents (Atherurus africanus, Cricetomys reptilarium with an emphasis on snakes gambianus) and monkeys (Cercopithecus l’hoesti, occupies the major part. Tshibati Experimental Cercopithecus mitis), and mating between Zoological Station (altitude 2000 m) on the