Biotecnologias da reprodução e suas aplicações na conservação de espécies: uma revisão

Abstract

Assisted reproduction techniques (ART), such as artificial insemination (AI), in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), have been of great importance for humanity by proportioning greater speed and efficacy in regards to genetic selection in farm or high commercial valuable animals, especially bovine, equine, ovine, and porcine. Beyond its use in farm animals, these same techniques also stand out in regards to human reproduction, making possible that couples with fertility problems may overcome the obstacles found during natural reproduction and thus obtain healthy descendants. Nowadays, many wild animals’ species are facing a population decline caused by human actions in regards to hunting and destruction of its natural habitats. These actions prevent that many animals can reproduce in a natural way, and, when they do, there is not enough genetic variability to maintain a healthy population and genetically different from previous generations. Knowing the extinction risk that those animals face, zoological institutions and research centers all over the world are looking for ways to reproduce those animals in captivity. This is the point where ART became an auxiliary tool of great value, because with them it is possible to reproduce these animals to safe population levels for their reinsertion into nature. Here, we review some of the techniques applied to different animal kinds, such as wild feline, bears, non-human primates, wild equines, elephants, wild dogs, birds and even fish, to better understand the actual situation about the use of ART in extinction threatened animals.