A review of birth control methods in mammals at the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust

The Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust has enjoyed considerable success wit h many of its conservation breeding programmes. Population control through management of reproduction has been practised for many years and this paper reviews the variety of natural and artificial measures that have been empl oyed to control breeding in the mammal collection, The principal contracept ive procedures that are generally available for reversible or permanent eff ect are described, and details of those that are utilised at Jersey Zoo are given. Chemical contraception is the most frequently used system, with imp lantation of melengoestrol acetate (RICA) or levonorgestrel (Norplant) bein g the preferred procedures for a long-term approach, In general, results ha ve been satisfactory, with effective control of breeding and little evidenc e of adverse reactions to hormone implantation.