Lets Go back To Genes
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
CCMB succeeds with test tube deer projectA test tube fawn named Spotty will soon be the star attraction in the Nehru Zoological Park here. 'Spotty' was born on March 14 The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology has completed the first successful artificial insemination (AI) in India on spotted dear by non-surgical vaginal insemination. With this, India has joined Australia and the United States, the only countries who have achieved the birth of live fawn using the same procedure. The other method of AI is surgical insemination where the uterus is opened up. This procedure, however, is not preferred by wild life biologists as the risk factors are more. Talking to media persons Director of CCMB Dr. Lalji Singh said: This success will form the basis for future attempts to increase the numbers of other endangered deers and other animals in our country. We requested the Central Zoo Authority to give us permission to use AI technique on endangered species but told us to prove the efficacy of this procedure on smaller animals to start with. Spotty is doing fine. Soon the general public will be able to see it in the Nehru Zoological Park.” In the present study taken up by three CCMB scientists, including Dr G. Umapathy, S.D. Sontakke and Anuradha Reddy, as many as three females were inseminated and after four and half months one of them animals was found to have conceived by ultrasonography. The conception was confirmed one-and-a-half months later.'Spotty' was born after an anxious eight-month wait. This effort was part of a long-term project of the Laboratory for the Conservation of Endangered Species (LaCONES), which is coming up in Attapur in Rangareddy district. The Rs 14 crore scientific facility will be ready by June. Though 'Spotty' may not create ripples like 'Dolly' did a few years ago, it is likely to serve as a shot in the arm for conservation efforts. "This could become a model for future attempts to increase the numbers of endangered species like the white-backed vulture, and the Asiatic lion,"Dr Singh said. Andhra Pradesh chief conservator of forests K S Rao said: "It's a big success for CCMB and a small step in the conservation of endangered species."Apart from CCMB, Nehru Zoological Park, the Central Zoo Authority and the Union and state departments of biotechnology took part in the project.
[Lalji Singh] [Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology] [Conservation of Endangered Species] [India]
