S. Shivaji et al., ASSESSMENT OF INBREEDING DEPRESSION IN BIG CATS - TESTOSTERONE LEVELSAND SEMEN ANALYSIS, Current Science (Bangalore), 75(9), 1998, pp. 923-930
Studies on Asiatic lions earlier suggested that they were highly inbre
d and have very low levels of genetic variations. However, subsequent
studies indicated higher degree of DNA polymorphism in Asiatic lions a
nd Indian tigers and suggested that the low genetic variability was a
characteristic feature of these species and was not the consequence of
intensive inbreeding; Therefore, the present study was undertaken to
ascertain whether inbreeding depression has set in these species. A to
tal of 16 tigers and 7 lions from three: Indian toes were evaluated fo
r inbreeding depression effects by analysis of semen samples with resp
ect to spermatozoal number, percentage motile spermatozoa, percentage
morphologically abnormal spermatozoa, ejaculate volume and fertilizing
ability of spermatozoa. Majority of the animals exhibited good sperma
tozoal number, high percentage of motile spermatozoa and low incidence
of abnormal spermatozoa unlike inbred animals, thus implying that inb
reeding depression has not yet affected these animals. The high fertil
izing ability of the semen samples and the high levels of serum testos
terone further support the view that the Asiatic lions and Indian tige
rs are not completely inbred.