Birth of Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) cubs after transvaginal artificial insemination

A captive 9-yr-old female Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) at the L isbon Zoo was treated with equine chorionic gonadotropin followed 80 hr lat er by human chorionic gonadotropin to stimulate follicular development and ovulation, respectively. Forty-one hours after the second hormone administr ation, the tiger was subjected to transvaginal artificial insemination with diluted fresh semen containing 500 x 10(6) motile spermatozoa obtained fro m an 8-yr-old male Siberian tiger via electroejaculation. After anesthesia the female tiger was placed in an inclined position with the kind limbs ele vated during and after the insemination and was maintained in this position for 15 min to minimize semen reflux. An anesthetic reversal agent was then administered. After a 103-day gestation, the female gave birth to three ap parently healthy cubs that survived 24-48 hr. These results demonstrate tha t transvaginal artificial insemination can be successfully performed in the Siberian tiger to produce full-term offspring.