TY - BOOK
T1 - Reproductive physiology in the wild white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum): new insights for enhanced breeding success
AU - van der Goot, Annemieke Catharina
PY - 2015
Y1 - 2015
N2 - [Truncated] The African white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum), having been
rescued from extinction at the end of the 19th century, is one
of the five remaining species of rhinoceros, along with the
African black (Diceros bicornis), Indian (Rhinoceros unicornis),
Javan (Rhinoceros sondaicus) and Sumatran (Dicerorhinus
sumatrensis) species. The population of C. simum faces an
uncertain future, primarily because of the extremely high demand
for its horn, which is being used illegally as an ingredient of
traditional Asian medicine and in the manufacture of ceremonial
curved daggers in the Middle East. Rhinoceros horn is also
regarded as a status symbol for Chinese and Vietnamese elites.
Breeding in captive and semi-captive environments could play a
critical role in the survival of this conservation-dependent
species, because captive populations can serve as genetic
reservoirs and sources of animals for reintroduction into the
wild. However, captive white rhinoceros females in captivity, in
contrast with their wild counterparts, reproduce poorly and thus
show a negative population growth rate (–3.5% pa for the entire
captive population). For this reason, the sustainability of the
captive population is in jeopardy. The causes of impaired
reproduction are poorly understood. Endocrine monitoring of the
ovarian activity in captive females has revealed acyclic periods
and wide variation in cycle length, both believed to have a
pathological origin. On the other hand, it is not known whether
wild rhinoceros females show similar characteristics – we do not
have a solid foundation of the normal reproductive biology of
the species, and the studies to remedy this situation are a main
aspect of this thesis.
AB - [Truncated] The African white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum), having been
rescued from extinction at the end of the 19th century, is one
of the five remaining species of rhinoceros, along with the
African black (Diceros bicornis), Indian (Rhinoceros unicornis),
Javan (Rhinoceros sondaicus) and Sumatran (Dicerorhinus
sumatrensis) species. The population of C. simum faces an
uncertain future, primarily because of the extremely high demand
for its horn, which is being used illegally as an ingredient of
traditional Asian medicine and in the manufacture of ceremonial
curved daggers in the Middle East. Rhinoceros horn is also
regarded as a status symbol for Chinese and Vietnamese elites.
Breeding in captive and semi-captive environments could play a
critical role in the survival of this conservation-dependent
species, because captive populations can serve as genetic
reservoirs and sources of animals for reintroduction into the
wild. However, captive white rhinoceros females in captivity, in
contrast with their wild counterparts, reproduce poorly and thus
show a negative population growth rate (–3.5% pa for the entire
captive population). For this reason, the sustainability of the
captive population is in jeopardy. The causes of impaired
reproduction are poorly understood. Endocrine monitoring of the
ovarian activity in captive females has revealed acyclic periods
and wide variation in cycle length, both believed to have a
pathological origin. On the other hand, it is not known whether
wild rhinoceros females show similar characteristics – we do not
have a solid foundation of the normal reproductive biology of
the species, and the studies to remedy this situation are a main
aspect of this thesis.
KW - Progestagen
KW - Ovarian cyclicity
KW - Reproduction
KW - Wild populations
KW - Ceratotherium simum simum
KW - Non-invasive hormone measurement
M3 - Doctoral Thesis
ER -