Scientists discover crucial key for successful breeding of declining species

(31 Jul 2019) LEAD IN:

Scientists in Germany have discovered why breeding cheetahs in zoos is notoriously difficult.

New research shows that timing is crucial - as the window of opportunity for pregnancies is very small.



STORY-LINE:

Cheetah mum Jamari casts a watchful eye around as her cubs play between stones and logs at Opel zoo in Kronberg im Taunus, Germany.

The wild cats are a welcome addition, as breeding cheetahs in captivity is notoriously difficult and population numbers in the wild are decreasing.

Cheetahs are already extinct in many parts of Asia, Africa and the Middle East and are listed as "vulnerable" on the Red List of Threatened Species compiled by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). At the last assessment in 2014 the IUCN deemed there to be only 6674 mature individuals remaining in the wild.

Now results of a long-term study on 12 captive cheetah females held in zoos across Europe could help to increase the odds of having cubs like Jamari's populating other zoos.

Trying to understand the mechanisms that were causing low reproductive figures, biologists first hypothesised that stress was the reason for the difficulties.

The findings, however, showed no significant correlation between stress levels - measured by analysing stress hormones in faeces - and the likelihood of pregnancies.

What they did find was that zoos are often late with their family planning, because the window of opportunity for breeding is earlier and shorter than was previously thought.

Bettina Wachter, Research scientist at the Department of Evolutionary Ecology of the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, explains:

"There's a difference in terms of when the females had their first offspring. The best time for them to become pregnant is between two years of age, when they become sexually mature, and five years.  If this time window is missed, then problems start and then it may be impossible for them to become pregnant at all."

The risk of missing that window is exacerbated by the fact that finding a mate for a female cheetah can take years of planning and overcoming bureaucratic hurdles.

"It is often difficult to bring couples together. This is not done inside the zoo but often a male is brought to the zoo from somewhere else, from another country. This means that there are a lot of papers and permits needed for the animals to cross the border and to be healthy, which is a bureaucratic effort. It can quickly take two years. And if you just think, 'Okay, I'll do next year, I'll do the year after next', then this window of opportunity can easily be missed," says Wachter.  

At another German zoo in Muenster, zookeeper Alexander Dietrich stresses the urgency of preservation efforts.

"It is enormously important that we also contribute to keep cheetahs in this world. And of course they will also be given away as part of the programme and hopefully they will also have some cubs there," he says.

One way to achieve that is not to let the drag of everyday routines get in the way. It seems cheetahs are not the staying type.  

"They shouldn't get bored in the sense of habit, of the partners knowing each other. It must always be exciting to meet the other. And that is a point we have arrived at over the years and that continuously improved the breeding chances," Dietrich says.



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