For the first time in history, a zoo in Memphis generated a reptile offspring using frozen semen and artificial insemination, according to a report by Newsweek.
The exciting news is a major breakthrough in reptile conservation and is a culmination of five years of research. After inseminating a female pine snake with the frozen and then thawed semen, three pine snakes were born.
"This achievement brought us one step closer to routinely integrating assisted reproductive technology into reptile conservation to preserve genetics and save species," senior reproductive scientist at Memphis Zoo Beth Roberts said in a statement.
🗣️ How often do you feel hopeful about the future of the planet when you read news stories or watch entertainment content?
🔘 Often 😇
🔘 Sometimes 🫤
🔘 Rarely 😢
🔘 Never 😓
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, pine snakes are threatened and may become endangered if action is not taken soon.
Most pine snakes in the U.S. are in central and western Louisiana. However, their population size has gradually decreased due to their food source declining.
In the past, when conservationists performed "Frozen Zoo" reproduction techniques, their efforts focused on mammals and birds. Reptiles are often overlooked in conservation projects; however, like all organisms, they play a key role in maintaining the balance of the local ecosystem.
For example, pine snakes act as natural pest controllers by eating mice and other rodents, according to an article published by the Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Institute. Without pine snakes feeding on their prey, the populations of mice and rodents go unchecked, triggering a domino effect throughout the rest of the food chain.
Moving forward, the Memphis Zoo hopes to further protect the threatened pine snake by continuing to grow the population with Frozen Zoo methods.
While Frozen Zoo methods do not work with species that have already gone extinct, they do offer a viable solution for endangered and threatened organisms. The success of frozen insemination with pine snakes underscores the potential of biobanking and Frozen Zoo methods, which are both essential for reptile conservation efforts across the globe.
"Today, the future of endangered reptiles got a little brighter," director of conservation & research at Memphis Zoo Steve Reichling told Newsweek.
Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
