Omaha Zoological Society Inc

OMAHA'S HENRY DOORLY ZOO AND AQUARIUM AIMS TO SAFEGUARD THE GENETIC DIVERSITY AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH OF RHINOS. THIS JOINT INITIATIVE WILL 1) ESTABLISH A CONSORTIUM MODEL THAT UTILIZES DATA-DRIVEN PAIRINGS TO MAXIMIZE GENETIC DIVERSITY AND IMPROVE POPULATION MANAGEMENT, 2) ENHANCE BIOBANKING EFFORTS BY EXPANDING THE VARIETY AND SCOPE OF PRESERVED GENETIC MATERIALS, AND 3) ADVANCE ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGY (ART) TO OVERCOME CHALLENGES TO NATURAL BREEDING AND IMPROVE REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS. RESULTS WILL AUGMENT ZOO CONSERVATION CAPABILITIES, EQUIPPING THEM WITH CUTTING-EDGE GENETIC AND ART TOOLS TO HELP MAINTAIN HEALTHY, SUSTAINABLE RHINO POPULATIONS. THESE STRATEGIES WILL SERVE AS A MANAGEMENT TEMPLATE FOR OTHER SPECIES, EXTENDING THE PROJECT'S IMPACT BEYOND RHINOS. MAINTAINING THRIVING RHINO POPULATIONS WILL HELP ENSURE ZOOS CONTINUE TO SERVE AS IMPORTANT HUBS FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION, SPECIES CONSERVATION, AND THE PRESERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY.

OMAHA?S HENRY DOORLY ZOO AND AQUARIUM?IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SEAWORLD, SOUTH-EAST ZOO ALLIANCE FOR REPRODUCTION AND CONSERVATION, AND THE DENVER ZOO?WILL IMPLEMENT A PROJECT TO IMPROVE THE MANAGEMENT OF RHINO POPULATIONS TO BECOME GENETICALLY AND DEMOGRAPHICALLY VIABLE WITHIN THE COUNTRY?S ZOOS. THEY WILL INTEGRATE SEX-SORTED ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION INTO THE POPULATION SUSTAINABILITY PLANS FOR AFRICAN WHITE AND ASIAN GREATER ONE-HORNED RHINOS. THE PROJECT TEAM WILL STRATEGICALLY BANK RHINO SPERM SAMPLES FROM ALL SPECIES AND IMPLEMENT A RISK MANAGEMENT APPROACH OF SAMPLE DUPLICATION AMONG EXISTING PARTNERS? GENOME RESOURCE BANKS. THEY ALSO WILL ESTABLISH AN EFFECTIVE ESTRUS SYNCHRONIZATION PROTOCOL FOR THE ENDANGERED AFRICAN BLACK RHINO AS A FIRST STEP TOWARD DEVELOPING A SUCCESSFUL ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION PROCEDURE IN THAT SPECIES. PARTNER ZOOS AND CONSERVATION FACILITIES WILL UNDERGO INDIVIDUALIZED TRAINING AND/OR SUPPORT IN NATURAL AND ASSISTED RHINO BREEDING.