My understanding is its only the asian elephant semen that does not freeze well not the African.
Australasian Asian Elephant Population 2022
- Thread starter Amberangel112
- Start date
- Status
Oh that's interesting. I'd assumed it was both. It's similarly been trialled in giraffe at Auckland Zoo, but the semen didn't freeze/thaw well. Storage in Nitrogen is the current method within the dairy industry, but possibly alternate methods may be explored with different semen extenders used that may be more successful. It'd be an invaluable tool to utilise within the breeding programme across many species.
I don't believe there's any viable semen left as Auckland Zoo were unable to continue with using his semen for AI following his death and had there been an opportunity to use viable semen, it would have come with the recent cohort of pregnancies at Melbourne. Any semen stored (if there is any) would only deteriorate further with time.
Going forward, I'd expect Pathi Harn to play a role in the breeding programme - possibly at Dubbo with Thong Dee and Anjalee, though no decisions had been made as of a few weeks ago re. using him or Gung.
There was a few years back; I was told by a keeper when I asked about the breeding situation prior to Luk Chai arriving. I think it's likely the most viable semen has already been used for Anjalee, and so, most of the remaining (if any) would now be mostly unviable.
If there was going to be an opportunity to use frozen semen then using it sooner rather than later would have offered better chances as opposed to storing it for a decade, so it's possible they used this on Anjalee.
Given complicating factors like her irregular cycles, it may have been better to use this on Melbourne's cows, who were on site. Num Oi being the obvious candidate.
To the best of my limited knowledge no calf has ever been produced from "frozen" asian elephant semen, chilled yes!
Correct. Within the region, the longest successful transist was that of Putra Mas's semen from Perth to Taronga and Melbourne. Porntip conceived Kanlaya on the second cycle.
I remember seeing something online several years ago that Taronga put it out there for someone to research a way to freeze and thaw asian elephant semen that was viable, I don't know if someone took up that challenge?
I was reffering to worldwide not just in our region. I do know some years ago chilled semen was rushed from whipsnades Emmitt to a cow in Israel which had a healthy calf.
Research has been ongoing across multiple species. Several US zoos have trialled it with elephants and Auckland Zoo have trialled it with chimpanzee and giraffe, also unsuccessful. It's a key component of the dairy industry, which also provides sexed semen. This would be an exciting achievement to accomplish within the elephant breeding programme.
Sure it has a big part to play. I understand it has worked with Indian rhino at least once. I believe one of the biggest set backs was the planned collection of Okapi semen from the animals kept in the Epulu reserve in the Ituri forest in the Congo where 13 out of the 14 Okapi held there were shot by rebels in June 2012 a huge setback. The place was burnt to the ground with a number of rangers shot.
Last edited:
Sex selecting semen should be, in theory, a fairly easy thing to accomplish. Along with its routine use in livestock, it has also been done with fairly good success with bottlenose dolphins, amongst other species. I believe the biggest issue regarding its trials in elephants is simply how much actually goes into artificially inseminating an elephant as opposed to other animals. Its not a matter of using a little syringe and catheter like most other species.
Also re semen preservation in other species; I believe African Lion Safari has had success with artificial insemination from cryopreserved semen in giraffes quite recently. As for Asian Elephants, techniques are becoming quite good at extending semen viability for much more extended periods of time than originally thought possible, but as it stands, long term store is still out of reach.
Also re semen preservation in other species; I believe African Lion Safari has had success with artificial insemination from cryopreserved semen in giraffes quite recently. As for Asian Elephants, techniques are becoming quite good at extending semen viability for much more extended periods of time than originally thought possible, but as it stands, long term store is still out of reach.
I would not be surprised if the African Lion Safari end up cracking the problem perhaps with some help with the University of Guelph who I believe have worked with them before regarding elephant AI, They appear to be among the best with elephant reproduction and I must say I was very impressed with my visit years ago.
Sex selected semen is processed in dairy cattle by lightly spinning the semen to divide it according to density - male sperm being lighter than female sperm rises to the top.
It'd be highest advantageous to undertake this prior to carrying out AI in elephants as it would lead to a higher rate of female births and avoid the issues that come with housing bulls. Given the success rate of elephant calves surviving to to maturity in Australasia, we've had to be restrictive in breeding with artificial birth intervals of 5-7 years becoming the norm.
Anjalee was inseminated with Bong Su's semen; more than once I believe. This was only on one occasion I believe, shortly after Bong Su's death in 2017. In 2018/2019, they tried again at least twice with Putra Mas's semen but it never worked out.
Yes, but I was referring to successful AI attempts (not unsuccessful).
Auckland Zoo undertook AI with Anjalee three times using fresh semen from Bong Su; then twice using frozen semen following his death. It was never stated which bull was used for the two frozen semen inseminations.
Were all the AI attempts done by the German vet AI team that did Taronga's and Melbournes?
Yes, the team is led by Dr Thomas Hildebrandt, who is also known for carrying out a successful egg harvest from two female Northern white rhinoceros. They do amazing work and have had several successes in elephant reproduction - most notably five successful pregnancies at Melbourne and three successful pregnancies at Taronga.
AI with Anjalee was complicated by her irregular cycles and the distance involved, but she stood the best possible chance under the expertise of this team.
The two frozen semen ones would make sense to be Bong Su (who had some of his semen frozen). It wouldn't make sense to use frozen semen from Putra Mas, when they could've harvested it and flown it to New Zealand; although the journey would've been eight or so hours, double what would be done at Melbourne and Taronga, and a little more than Porntip at Dubbo - I believe it was around six hours following the semens harvesting until it was inseminated into Porntip.
- Status