SYDNEY, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Australia's University of Queensland (UQ) is establishing the first coordinated sperm and egg bank for koalas, aiming to preserve genetic diversity in a species under growing pressure from habitat loss and disease.
The project would act as a "vital genetic safety net," capturing valuable genetic material that is currently lost when koalas die in wildlife hospitals, said UQ reproductive biologist Andres Gambini, quoted by a university statement released on Thursday.
"Losing genetic diversity can weaken future generations and decrease the ability of the species to adapt to challenges," Gambini said, adding this project will safely and systematically rescue and preserve koala sperm and eggs for future conservation programs.
The initiative builds on UQ's expertise in marsupial reproduction, including the world's first koala born via artificial insemination and recent advances in kangaroo in-vitro fertilization (IVF), the statement said.
Sperm or egg samples collected from deceased or non-breeding koalas will be screened for genetic value and disease, including Chlamydia pecorum, a major threat to koala health and fertility, researchers said, adding infections can be removed from reproductive samples.
The bank of reproductive cells will be stored in liquid nitrogen at UQ's Gatton campus and may later be used in artificial insemination or IVF programs, according to wildlife reproduction specialist UQ Associate Professor Steve Johnston.
Gambini said the koala bank will complement, not replace, habitat protection, disease management and population monitoring efforts.
"They (koalas) also need a genetic backup system, and this sperm and egg bank can help preserve diversity while reproductive technologies continue to improve," Gambini said. ■
