Delayed return to estrus following treatment with the gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist, Lucrin® Depot, in the tammar wallaby

Modeling genetic benefits and financial costs of integrating biobanking into the conservation breeding of managed marsupials

“…However, live birth via artificial insemination has only been achieved in the koala and tammar wallaby and was conducted with fresh, not frozen and thawed, sperm (Rodger et al., 2009). The tammar wallaby, a highly regimented and reliable breeder with a seasonal anestrus, had a notably low success rate (Paris et al., 2005b; Witt, Hinds, et al., 2018). To overcome underlying factors potentially precluding conventional artificial insemination, such as poor sperm motility (Rodger, 2019), ICSI may provide a generic tool.…”

“…We present pathways for the dibbler and numbat and 15 other threatened marsupials across diverse marsupial family groups. We matched model and target species based on existence of established model species (e.g., tammar wallaby [ N. eugenii ] and fat‐tailed dunnart [ S. crassicaudata ]) (Witt & Rodger, 2018; Witt, Hinds, et al., 2018; Witt, Rodger, et al., 2018; Witt et al., 2020); similarities in life history, body size, and reproductive strategy (e.g., monovular or polyestrous and polyovular or polyestrous species); species phylogenetically similar or from a related genus or family group; species of appropriate conservation status in situ (least concern or not threatened under appropriate listings); or species readily bred in ex situ facilities now to maximize public acceptance and provide sufficient founder animals.…”