Seasonal reproduction in wild and captive male koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) populations in south-east Queensland.
The effects of breeding season (late spring to early autumn) on south-east Queensland male koala fertility were examined to improve the efficacy of the AI procedure and to determine the practicality of using free-range animals as semen donors for a genome resource bank. Seasonal changes in male koala reproductive function were assessed in a wild free-range population (n = 14; obtained every 6 weeks from January to November 2005), a necropsied healthy wild population (n = 84; obtained monthly from September 2004 to August 2005) and a captive population (n = 7; obtained monthly from October 2005 to October 2006). Reproductive parameters investigated included bodyweight, coat score, sternal gland area and activity, testosterone secretion, reproductive anatomy volume and semen quality (before and after cryopreservation). Collectively, these findings show that reproduction in male koalas from south-east Queensland changes seasonally and that winter appears to be the optimal season in which to collect semen samples by electroejaculation. While it was possible to repeatedly collect semen from free-range koalas for future genetic management via potential storage in a genome resource bank, the survival of these spermatozoa after cryopreservation was poor and will require further improvement.
Allen
Camryn D
CD
School of Animal Studies, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Qld 4343, Australia. callen@salk.edu
de Villiers
Deidré L
DL
Manning
Brett D
BD
Dique
David S
DS
Burridge
Michelle
M
Chafer
Mandy L
ML
Nicolson
Vere N
VN
Jago
Sophia C
SC
McKinnon
Allan J
AJ
Booth
Rosemary J
RJ
McKee
Jeff J
JJ
Pyne
Michael J
MJ
Zee
Yeng Peng
YP
Lundie-Jenkins
Geoff
G
Theilemann
Peter
P
Wilson
Richard J
RJ
Carrick
Frank N
FN
Johnston
Stephen D
SD
D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000662:veterinary; D007315:Insemination, Artificial / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000502:physiology; D048368:Phascolarctidae / Q000502:physiology*; D011793:Queensland; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology*; D012621:Seasons; D012662:Semen Preservation / Q000662:veterinary; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000502:physiology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology; D013737:Testis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D013739:Testosterone