Contraceptive effect of a gonadotropin-releasing hormone vaccine on a captive female African Lion (Panthera leo): a case study |
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| Authors: | Keisuke KAWASE Jumpei TOMIYASU Kazuyuki BAN Ryosuke ONO Satoshi ANDO Aya ONO Ran KIMURA Kanako TOMISAWA Motozumi MATSUI Shun-ichi SHIIHARA |
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| Institution: | 1)Omuta City Zoo, 163 Showa-machi, Omuta, Fukuoka 836-0871, Japan;2)Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Nishi 2-11, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan;3)Department of Biodiversity Protection, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn 10-748, Poland;4)Present address: Hitachi Kamine Zoo, 5-2-22 Miyatacho, Hitachi, Ibaraki 317-0055, Japan |
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| Abstract: | Lions (Panthera leo) breed well under captivity, so contraception has been commonly conducted for population management, leading to a demand for a less invasive and reversible contraceptive approach in lions. In this study, we examined the efficacy of a commercial gonadotropin-releasing hormone vaccine as a method of suppressing reproductive activity in a sexually matured female lion. Under behavioral restraint, the vaccine was injected twice (days 0 and 109). After the initial vaccination, ovarian activity is still observed. After the second vaccination, contraceptive effect was confirmed for 246 days until restart of estrous cycles. We confirmed only a slight swelling around the injection site after the second vaccination. This study may suggest an alternative option for a contraceptive method in lions. |
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| Keywords: | contraception gonadotropin-releasing hormone vaccine husbandry training immunocontraception |
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