News
Leopard conservation plan weighs captive breeding
View(s):By Kasun Warakapitiya
The National Zoological Gardens has decided to create a national programme to conserve the endemic Sri Lankan leopard.
The Sri Lankan leopard, Panthera pardus kotiya is the largest big cat on the island and is endangered with only around 800 to 1,000 found in the wild.
National Zoological Gardens Director General Chandana Rajapaksa told the Sunday Times there are plans to create an insurance population of leopards in captivity.
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- Leopards at Pinnawala zoo
He said that a captive breeding programme of leopards has been carried out at the Pinnawala Zoo.
A female leopard at the zoo was artificially inseminated a few months back and a scan has been scheduled to find out if the animal is pregnant.
Dr. Rajapaksa noted the need for a national ex-situ conservation programme for leopards and a sperm bank for captive breeding if wild populations decline.
“The insurance captive population could be reintroduced, through rewilding projects. This is the back up plan to restore ecosystems and to stop the wild population from total extinction.’’
Initial talks were held with the Environment Ministry, Department of Wildlife and other stakeholders to create a national action plan on leopard conservation, he said.
Dr Rajapaksa said that a sperm bank for leopards would be a first in Sri Lanka.
The process needs to be scientific and research based, he said. There will be a field visit to Kundasale central artificial insemination centre where a cattle semen bank is maintained from where the technology and techniques used can be studied.
Dr Rajapaksa said talks are planned with the Department of Wildlife to get new specimens from different localities to maintain a strong and wide gene pool, which could be used for the breeding programmes.
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