The Comparison of Semen Collection in Electroejaculation Rectal Massage and Combination of Both Methods in the Critically Endangered Malayan Pangolin

摘要

Semen collection is one of the first few foundational steps towards Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), however it is rarely conducted in the Malayan pangolin, Manis javanica. Semen was successfully retrieved in pangolins mainly via electroejaculation with the animal under general anesthesia, though facing a minor risk of urine contamination. The objective of this study is to report the success of semen collection with three different collection methods: electroejaculation, rectal massage and a combination of both methods in pangolins. The semen characteristics of the species are described in this study and the good semen qualities suggest future potential uses for ART. This study has found no difference between methods of semen collection. Captive and confiscated animals only differed in the percentages of live spermatozoa with overall good semen characteristics. The results from this study suggest that gamete recovery and biobank are feasible in the Malayan pangolin, which is essential to the management and conservation of this endangered species.