Adelaide Zoo Adelaide Zoo News 2022

Pertinax said:
Interesting that the 'natural only- fail ' actually means 'no mating at all'(!) This Adelaide pair represent another depressing catalogue of failure, so similar to some other zoos. You are correct, a few pairs 'click',are obviously compatabile, mate normally and breed repeatedly. Or else- as in the majority of pairs, there is no breeding at all. Still nowhere seems to take into account the 'lek' behaviour in the wild in this species, allowing both stimulation/rivalry between males and the female to choose from several males which one she will actually mate with. Such a choice is completely denied in captivity, at least outside China. Not surprising the failure rate is so high. Why are they all so slow to recognise this and try to adjust breeding attemps to better mirror the wild behaviour? Presumably because the zoos are all tied by China only allowing pairs at a time to be loaned, and never more than that. But while that continues, so will the the problem of achieving a more successful breeding rate.
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In most cases were natural only mating was attempted, the pandas didn’t even mate, so there was no chance of pregnancy. The majority of the births in the US were via AI, which makes the cubs born via natural mating at the National Zoo to their original pair all the more remarkable.

I’ve seen comments from Adelaide Zoo that detail Funi’s willingness to mate and Wang Wang’s reluctance. It appears his performance is the issue here and could indeed be improved with a stimulant male. Since the males would never meet face to face in captivity, I see no reason why the scent of another male (acquired from another zoo) couldn’t be used to achieve the same result.

As with the great apes back in the early-mid 20th century, I suspect the general public are still under the anthropomorphic impression pandas live in couples.
 
Zoofan15 said:
As with the great apes back in the early-mid 20th century, I suspect the general public are still under the anthropomorphic impression pandas live in couples.
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I'm sure they are. What is interesting is that the struggle to breed them in zoos(outside China) seems little different now than fifty years ago with very little advance in the success rate. I can remember the An-an and Chi-Chi sagas at London and Moscow Zoos in the 1960's. Chi-Chi had the added disadvantage of being humanised and when in oestrus she presented to keepers, not to the male Panda. For his part, An-An did seem keen to mate.

Much more recently, Edinburgh Zoo requested two Pandas that had bred previously- which they got- but they have still failed to breed from them over many years now. But the two Pandas had bred with other partners, not with each other apparently.
 
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Pertinax said:
I'm sure they are. What is interesting is that the struggle to breed them in zoos(outside China) seems little different now than fifty years ago with very little advance in the success rate. I can remember the An-an and Chi-Chi sagas at London and Moscow Zoos in the 1960's. Chi-Chi had the added disadvantage of being humanised and when in oestrus she presented to keepers, not to the male Panda. For his part, An-An did seem keen to mate.

Much more recently, Edinburgh Zoo requested two Pandas that had bred previously- which they got- but they have still failed to breed from them over many years now. But the two Pandas had bred with other partners, not with each other apparently.
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I’d largely attribute the lack of progress in breeding Giant pandas to the fact nothing has changed in their social groupings i.e. zoos still keep monogamous pairs. Elephants and great apes were commonly kept in pairs 50 years ago and limited breeding success occurred; but zoos have changed with the times and acknowledge the role mirroring the natural social order plays in assisting reproduction. Consequently, these species now breed readily in captivity, while Giant pandas have remained static.

The pairing of Chi Chi and An An was pioneering in that it represented one of the first breeding loans between zoos, but highlighted the same problem zoos have today - the pandas they had available to that pairing were incompatible. An An was identified as showing appropriate mating behaviour and had he been in China, would have been offered more receptive females when this pairing didn’t work out. Chi Chi was the female on offer and there were no alternatives.
 
Zoofan15 said:
I’d largely attribute the lack of progress in breeding Giant pandas to the fact nothing has changed in their social groupings i.e. zoos still keep monogamous pairs. Elephants and great apes were commonly kept in pairs 50 years ago and limited breeding success occurred; but zoos have changed with the times and acknowledge the role mirroring the natural social order plays in assisting reproduction. Consequently, these species now breed readily in captivity, while Giant pandas have remained static.

The pairing of Chi Chi and An An was pioneering in that it represented one of the first breeding loans between zoos, but highlighted the same problem zoos have today - the pandas they had available to that pairing were incompatible. An An was identified as showing appropriate mating behaviour and had he been in China, would have been offered more receptive females when this pairing didn’t work out. Chi Chi was the female on offer and there were no alternatives.
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Yes, until China changes the practise of only sending out single pairs, it seems unlikely there will be any improvement. Its very possible the Chinese don't care too much whether the loaned pairs breed anyway, as that is subsiduary to the rental value of the adults.
 
Pertinax said:
Yes, until China changes the practise of only sending out single pairs, it seems unlikely there will be any improvement. Its very possible the Chinese don't care too much whether the loaned pairs breed anyway, as that is subsiduary to the rental value of the adults.
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Possibly, though teams from China fly over to lead the AI procedures and lend their expertise, so I’d imagine they’d see it as their achievement too in the event they were successful. It’d be interesting to know the degree of negotiation zoos can undertake at the end of a loan period re. swapping out one panda, but keeping the other etc.

Funi’s ovulation cycle represents a unique dataset given she’s in the Southern Hemisphere and therefore entering her breeding window at a different time of year to her Chinese and North American counterparts. Presumably this wouldn’t be problematic as red pandas experience the same phenomenon and breed without issue in the Southern Hemisphere.
 
Zoofan15 said:
Possibly, though teams from China fly over to lead the AI procedures and lend their expertise, so I’d imagine they’d see it as their achievement too in the event they were successful.
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Yes, they are always present at the AI procedures etc but it doesn't seem to help much does it...its like they don't acknowledge there might be an easier way to better success. One problem is there is still never any deliberate swapping of partners, to try and promote breeding. I can't actually think of a single zoo where that has happened, except the odd case where one has died and another later replaced it.
 
Patrick Keegan said:
The bamboo forest is now closed as the annual Giant panda Breeding season is commencing soon. this time they'll be attempting to artificially inseminate fu-ni again. Fingers crossed but I ain't holding my breath.

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Bamboo Forest to Reopen:

The Bamboo Forest will reopen September 24, following two AI procedures on Funi.

If succcessful, the due date will be January to March 2023.
 
Pertinax said:
Given the past history of this pair I imagine the chance of success is pretty small...
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I agree given this is the sixth attempt at AI with the pair, following five unsuccessful cycles in 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.

The positive is that in early years of attempting to breed the pair, Wang Wang had less than impressive results come back from his semen analysis, which the zoo reports has improved over the years as he’s matured. If high quality semen was used in these two AI attempts, which covered her date of ovulation, then it puts her in the best stead for conceiving.

Though I agree chances are slim, it’d be so great to see Adelaide Zoo finally experience success in breeding the first Giant panda cub in the history of the region.
 
Zoofan15 said:
I agree given this is the sixth attempt at AI with the pair, following five unsuccessful cycles in 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.

The positive is that in early years of attempting to breed the pair, Wang Wang had less than impressive results come back from his semen analysis, which the zoo reports has improved over the years as he’s matured. If high quality semen was used in these two AI attempts, which covered her date of ovulation, then it puts her in the best stead for conceiving.

Though I agree chances are slim, it’d be so great to see Adelaide Zoo finally experience success in breeding the first Giant panda cub in the history of the region.
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This pair are roughly parallel with Edinburgh's in the UK as far as all the failed breeding attempts go. But Ediburgh's male had his testes removed due to cancer. So I think they have now given up completely with further breeding attempts, even using sperm from another male for AI.
 
Pertinax said:
This pair are roughly parallel with Edinburgh's in the UK as far as all the failed breeding attempts go. But Ediburgh's male had his testes removed due to cancer. So I think they have now given up completely with further breeding attempts, even using sperm from another male for AI.
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Adelaide would at least have the advantage of being able to use fresh sperm then, which would improve their chances.

The Smithsonian National Zoo often used frozen sperm from a more valuable male, alongside fresh sperm from their on site male - the latter of which was the sire each time.
 
Pertinax said:
Yes, I remember them doing that. So the fresh sperm was always the winner then...stands to reason perhaps.
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I’ve noticed what seems to be the common theme amongst Adelaide’s failed AI attempts is giving Wang Wang a chance at natural mating first; and then undertaking AI once he’s failed to do so.

The best course of action in my opinion is to undertake AI just prior to ovulation (the missed step) - so the sperm will be waiting when the egg is released; and then undertake AI upon ovulation.

The fact they’ve undertaken two AI attempts suggests they’ve done this and therefore stand the best possible chance.

A male Giant panda can mate up to 48 times in three hours, so extracting fresh semen at the start from Wang Wang wouldn’t inhibit his chances of impregnating Funi through natural mating if it were to occur during that cycle.
 
Zoofan15 said:
I’ve noticed what seems to be the common theme amongst Adelaide’s failed AI attempts is giving Wang Wang a chance at natural mating first; and then undertaking AI once he’s failed to do so.

The best course of action in my opinion is to undertake AI just prior to ovulation (the missed step) - so the sperm will be waiting when the egg is released; and then undertake AI upon ovulation.

The fact they’ve undertaken two AI attempts suggests they’ve done this and therefore stand the best possible chance.

A male Giant panda can mate up to 48 times in three hours, so extracting fresh semen at the start from Wang Wang wouldn’t inhibit his chances of impregnating Funi through natural mating if it were to occur during that cycle.
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Have you ever read George Schaller's book 'The Last Panda' where there's an excellent description of his observations of them mating in the wild?
 
Pertinax said:
Have you ever read George Schaller's book 'The Last Panda' where there's an excellent description of his observations of them mating in the wild?
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That’s my source for the 48 matings over three hours lol.

It’s an excellent point and one you’ve mentioned before that Giant pandas have a lek mating strategy in the wild involving multiple males - something you never see represented within any zoo outside of China.

While I’m not advocating letting a bunch of males battle it out, the presence of a competitor male rotating use of the exhibit could act as a stimulant to the breeding male. At a minimum, I’d investigate whether they could simulate the presence of an additional male by scent at Adelaide Zoo.
 
Seven quokkas and two wallabies have unexpectedly died:

Seven quokkas, two wallabies die 'unexpectedly' at Adelaide Zoo

Adelaide Zoo is investigating what led to the deaths of nine marsupials in two separate enclosures last month.

The facility today announced seven female quokkas and two yellow-footed rock-wallabies had died "unexpectedly".

The cause of deaths is unknown. "At this stage, plant toxicity is the most likely cause, however further testing is still underway."
 
Zoofan15 said:
Seven quokkas and two wallabies have unexpectedly died:

Seven quokkas, two wallabies die 'unexpectedly' at Adelaide Zoo

Adelaide Zoo is investigating what led to the deaths of nine marsupials in two separate enclosures last month.

The facility today announced seven female quokkas and two yellow-footed rock-wallabies had died "unexpectedly".

The cause of deaths is unknown. "At this stage, plant toxicity is the most likely cause, however further testing is still underway."
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Seven Quokkas! If i'm not mistaken that's all of Adelaide's girls.:eek:
 
Jambo said:
Seven Quokkas! If i'm not mistaken that's all of Adelaide's girls.:eek:
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Yes, the status of the other wallabies etc is mentioned, but with regards to quokka, they state “Three male quokkas who also call Adelaide Zoo home are well, however are currently off exhibit." implying their population was 3.7 (now 3.0).
 
Zoofan15 said:
Yes, the status of the other wallabies etc is mentioned, but with regards to quokka, they state “Three male quokkas who also call Adelaide Zoo home are well, however are currently off exhibit." implying their population was 3.7 (now 3.0).
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That is indeed bad news lets hope they get to the bottom of it soon. :confused:
 
Zoofan15 said:
Yes, the status of the other wallabies etc is mentioned, but with regards to quokka, they state “Three male quokkas who also call Adelaide Zoo home are well, however are currently off exhibit." implying their population was 3.7 (now 3.0).
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It's always been the seven girls on display; it's possible the males are recent additions, but it's good to know Adelaide still have Quokka.
 
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