Conservation and Breeding
With the advent of co-ordinated breeding programmes for numerous species held in captivity and standardised electronic animal record keeping systems (ARKS) it is now possible to track the different subspecies that are managed and ensure that these are managed as pure subspecies. Twycross Zoo is now recognised as having a database of the animals in its care, both current and historically, that is comparable to any major zoological garden worldwide. Additionally several breeding programmes are managed at Twycross Zoo, including Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persicus), Patagonian sealion (Otaria byronia), siamang (Symphalangus syndactylus) and saddle-billed stork (Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis).
A group of four female Asian elephants occupy an enclosure on the west side of the zoo. The females are all of breeding age, but the current facilities are not adequate for keeping a bull elephant for breeding purposes. Rather than extend the facilities or lose their elephants completely, Twycross decided to try artificial insemination. The project was successful and a baby elephant, Ganesh, was born on 6 August 2009.
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Famous quotes containing the words conservation and/or breeding:
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