Artificial insemination for Siberian tigers

PROTECTING THE ILK: The zoologists hope the tigress will become pregnant and have a healthy baby.

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Beijing: Chinese zoologists have artificially inseminated a four-year-old Siberian tigress for the first time with a view to save the rare species from extinction.

Experts at the China Henghedaozi Feline Breeding Centre, the world's largest breeding base for Siberian tigers in northeastern Heilongjiang Province, said that artificial insemination, if proved successful by Saturday's test, will help avoid inbreeding and genetic degeneration among Siberian tigers.

The sperm were taken from a seven-year-old healthy male tiger that has been trained to live in primitive forests.

The zoologists at the breeding centre hope the tigress will become pregnant and have a healthy baby.

Manager of the base, Wang Ligang said artificial insemination and DNA tests can better help protect the rare species.

It will no longer be necessary to transport a tiger from far away just to mate another if the artificial insemination test is successful, Wang said.

Professor Liu Yutang with the Northeast Forestry University said artificial insemination will be used in the crossbreeding of tigers and lions in the future if the test is successful.

Siberian tigers, also known as Amur or Manchurian tigers, are among the world's 10 most endangered species and mostly live in northeast China and the Far East area of Russia. They are estimated to number approximately 400 in the wild, of which 20 or so live in northeast China.