.No, there is no difference, because the basic biological requirements for breeding are the same for elephants and bison. There are differences only with respect to the elephant more elaborate husbandry facilities and a different breeding management. The duration of pregnancy does not matter. Of course, it takes longer for a cute elephant baby to be born, and as a result, the stock will grow more slowly, but A.I. has no influence on that either. You can, of course, inseminate the cows that are not covered by the bull ... which also happens in nature, but zoos are known to have nothing to do with nature.If you had a closer look at the breeding history of Indian rhinos in captivity in general, and in Basel in particular, you would not have to wonder about the additional wildlife imports ... And there is a big difference to African elephants in captivity. Between 1947 and 1978 only four pairs were imported to Europe, which successfully reproduced themselves, Basel got its pair in 1951/52 and began breeding in 1956, and from 1963 also the inbreeding, which unfortunately was unavoidable in order to increase the stock, what could not fall back on wild catches, nor on offspring. But for inbred stocks, there are 100 other examples. Inbreeding has not had a negative impact on the Indian rhinos. In total, four different inbred lines were established in Basel. 9 animals were sold to the USA. In the meantime, these lines no longer play any role in today's breeding. Between 1948 and 2007, the USA received 19.18, of which 10.6 were offspring. The breed started late, only in 1974. And from these two populations, today's stock has developed outside of Asia. Between 1990 and 1997, another 2.7 came to Europe, including 6 wild catches. From the USA came several, with the European population not or only very little related animals. Thanks to these successful measures, over 250 rhinos are now kept in captivity, the stock is healthy and growing continuously. A.I? Absolutely unnecessary - the Americans just want to prove how great they can save in such a technical but questionable way endangered animals ...In your opinion, how exactly should A.I help to improve the current more than just bad situation of African elephants? Should this serve a faster increase of a breedable stock? Or something to improve the gene reserve effect, since one also uses seeds of wild bull elephant? Well, neither breeding nor inbreeding has been and still is the problem of the management of African elephants in captivity, but also the apparent inability of the responsible, to get cows into a breeding situation, that is to bring them to a bull, and to exchange them in due time, so it just can not come to inbreeding. It's that simple ... Now, over 140 years ago, the zoos have been pushing to breed successful African elephants, and have held them until the mid-1990s only for exhibition purposes. Why breed, if it was so easy to get elephants from Africa? And you did not have to keep a dangerous bull elephant, whose welfare also cost a lot of money. Had the population been managed as well as the Indian rhinos at that time, today you would have a successful breeding-completely independent of unnecessary gimmicks like A.I.Unfortunately, this seemingly inexhaustible source Africa has dried up, and now the zoos have to breed in order to be able to maintain the species. That actually worked in the beginning, but unfortunately so much went wrong within the breeding programs, which have brought about the current situation. A.I does not help either, because even elephants, like all animals, are in a position to provide offspring by themselfs, if they are left. They have proved that in the past, and that works even today, as in Wuppertal, where they exchanged the bull in time, or in San Diego. But thanks to A.I you have even brought to a naturally successful breeding bulls, which he no longer is mating, since he had to serve regularly as a sperm donor - he has probably lost the lust, literally. And believe me to have to act as a sperm donor, is neither for elephants, nor rhinos pleasant and life-threatening yet. You already realize that the animals must be placed in general anesthesia? And every vet and pet gardener tries to avoid it, unless it is necessary for medical reasons? Any anesthetic puts a lot of strain on your circulation, and it's especially risky for high-risk elephants; not a few elephants died during anesthesia, or shortly thereafter.
Rhinos of course, too. However, neither semen collection nor hoof corrections on wild horse species caused by husbandry faults justified this risk, which is unacceptable to the animal. A rhinoceros bull already paid for the semen collection with his life. That would be like putting people under anesthesia for nail-cutting. Some zoos are shirking their responsibilities, especially in the US, where even in Miami recently a rhinoceros was "conceived" using artificial oocyte implantation-that's not normal anymore .... In America, the stocks of males were reduced, becuase they to using the "Frozen Zoo for breeding.Well, the Sumatran rhinoceros did not save that, but the seemingly outmoded, old-fashioned natural jump has done that several times.A.I is not the miracle cure everybody is looking for, but the definitely wrong way, not just for elephants.It only causes further problems, such as a surplus of bulls, and costs a lot of money, especially if you import expensive seeds from Africa. I hope that the cloning of mammals is perfect in the years to come. Nobody needs male animals anymore, and terms like inbreeding coefficient or genetic diversity are a thing of the past. (Attention, the last sentence is ironic)
