ESTROUS SYNCHRONIZATION, SEMEN PRESERVATION AND ARTIFICIAL-INSEMINATION IN THE MOHOR GAZELLE (GAZELLA-DAMA-MHORR) FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A GENOME RESOURCE BANK PROGRAM

Gazella dama mhorr is an endangered species with an extant population of about 190 animals distributed between several toes. Semen was colle cted by electro-ejaculation from 12 adult males, and cryopreserved in TEST-yolk diluent containing 6% glycerol. The effects of the concentra tion of egg yolk (5%, 10% and 20%) and the presence or absence of sodi um triethanolamine lauryl sulfate (equex) on sperm motion and acrosoma l integrity after thawing were examined. Increasing concentrations of egg yolk resulted in more acrosomal damage and poorer motility after t hawing. The presence or absence of equex had no effect on either param eter. The frozen spermatozoa were used in an insemination trial, in wh ich 13 females were treated with intravaginal progesterone-releasing d evices to synchronize oestrus. Seven females were inseminated with fro zen-thawed semen 48 h after removal of the devices, and six were insem inated after 60 h. Three females in the first group and one in the sec ond group became pregnant However, only one pregnancy (from the 48-h g roup) was carried to term. The study demonstrated the feasibility of a pplying artificial insemination in this species, but revealed that a n umber of outstanding technical problems remain to be solved.