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Al Ain, United Arab Emirates, 16 May 2010: A sand cat kitten, born as a result of the first-ever successful species-specific in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer procedure, is now on exhibit with her mother at the Al Ain Wildlife Park & Resort (AWPR).
The Sand cat, native to the UAE, Middle East, and parts of North Africa, is listed as ‘near threatened’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Its wild population is declining as a result of habitat destruction and declining prey base.
The kitten was born as part of an ongoing conservation partnership between AWPR and US-based University of Illinois and the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. AWPR’s conservation program focuses on the protection and restoration of arid land biodiversity, with a special focus on carnivores.
Four Sand cat mothers at AWPR received IVF embryos during the first phase of a program called Project Sand Cat. On 13 December 2009 one of the mothers gave birth to a pair of Sand cat kittens marking an historic day in the protection of this species. “Of the 4 Sand Cat mothers in Project Sand Cat, this mother successfully carried a litter to term. We were saddened to see one kitten die, but this unique queen-kitten Sand cat pair is a testament to AWPR’s conservation research and we are proud to introduce them to the public.” said Farshid Merhdadfar, animal collection manger at AWPR.
In the second phase of Project Sand Cat, recently completed at California’s Living Desert Zoo, embryos from AWPR’s Sand cats were transferred to two females. But neither gave birth to kittens, “We think the Sand cats were a little too old and we were a little worried about their fertility,” said Dr. Bill Swanson, Director of Animal Research at the Cincinnati Zoo. “We still have half of the frozen embryos and we hope to duplicate AWPR’s recent successes.”
“As we see from the trials in the United States and our own experience here at AWPR, exhibiting this one-of-a-kind Sand cat pair is very exciting, said Dr. Mike Maunder, Chief Conservation, Collection, and Education Officer, at AWPR. “This research demonstrates that assistive reproductive techniques are viable tools for the conservation of arid land carnivores. We have more work to do in this area, but this is a fine beginning.”
To learn more about what you can do to help protect the Sand cat and other species, visit the Al Ain Wildlife Park & Resort evenings from 4pm to 12 midnight and on Fridays from 10am to 12 midnight.
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Notes to editors:
About Al Ain Wildlife Park & Resort
First established as Al Ain Zoo in 1968 by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Al Ain Wildlife Park & Resort is a multi-faceted development designed around wildlife to create an outstanding sustainable leisure and learning destination aimed at bringing people in touch with nature. The Al Ain Wildlife Park & Resort will include more than 900 hectares of land and is currently home to 4,300 animals, 30% of which are considered to be endangered. Following the principles established in the Abu Dhabi 2030 Urban Framework Plan, the Al Ain Wildlife Park & Resort will become a model for cultural and ecological sustainability, conservation and education.
The natural wildlife of the park and educational centres, in addition to the themed desert safaris, and a world leading arid land botanic gardens and plant collection, will provide both a centre of learning excellence and a leisure destination. As part of the transformation into a wildlife resort, significant development is currently being undertaken to set the standards globally for conservation efforts. Construction of the Al Ain Wildlife Park & Resort (AWPR) will be completed in phases between 2011 and 2015.
For more information on AWPR, please visit the website: www.awpr.ae
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