Roth, T. L., Swanson, W. F., & Wildt, D. E. (1995). Snow leopard (Panthera unica) sperm longevity in vitro is not influenced by protein or energy source supplements but is affected by buffer source. Theriogenology, 43(1), 309.
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Roth, T. L., Armstrong, D. L., Barrie, M. T., & Wildt, D. E. (1997). Seasonal effects on ovarian responsiveness to exogenous gonadotrophins and successful artificial insemination in the snow leopard (Uncia uncia). Reprod Fertil Dev, 9(3), 285–295.
Abstract: Ovaries of the seasonally-breeding snow leopard (Uncia uncia) were examined to determine whether they were responsive to exogenous gonadotrophins throughout the year. The potential of laparoscopic artificial insemination (AI) also was assessed for producing offspring. During the non-breeding, pre-breeding, breeding and post-breeding seasons, females (n = 20) were treated with a standardized, dual- hormone regimen given intramuscularly (600 I.U. of equine chorionic gonadotrophin followed 80-84 h later with 300 I.U. of human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG)). Laparoscopy was performed 45-50 h after administration of hCG, and all ovarian structures were described. Females with fresh corpora lutea (CL) were inseminated, and anovulatory females were subjected to follicular aspiration to examine oocyte quality. Snow leopards responded to exogenous gonadotrophins throughout the year. Mean number of total ovarian structures (distinct follicles mature in appearance plus CL) did not differ (P > or = 0.05) with season, but the proportion of CL: total ovarian structures was greater (P < 0.01) for the breeding season compared with all other seasons. The proportion of females ovulating was greater (P < 0.05) during the breeding and post-breeding seasons than during the pre-breeding and non- breeding seasons respectively. No Grade-1 quality oocytes were recovered from follicles of anovulatory females. Serum concentrations of oestradiol-17 beta appeared elevated in all females, and neither oestradiol-17 beta concentrations nor progesterone concentrations differed (P > or = 0.05) among seasons. Of 15 females artificially inseminated, the only one that was inseminated in the non-breeding season became pregnant and delivered a single cub. This is the first successful pregnancy resulting from AI in this endangered species.
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Roth, T. L., Swanson, W. F., Wildt, D. E., Collins, D., Burton, M., & Garell, D. M. (1996). Snow leopard (Panthera uncia) spermatozoa are sensitive to alkaline pH, but motility in vitro is not influenced by protein or energy supplements (Vol. 17).
Abstract: To better understand the biology of snow leopard spermatozoa and to facilitate developing assisted reproduction, a series of studies was conducted to: 1) identify the component(s) of complex culture media responsible for the detrimental effect on sperm survival in vitro, 2) optimize medium for supporting sperm viability, and 3) evaluate sperm capacitation in vitro. Constituents of complex media were added systematically to phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) to isolate the factor(s) influencing snow leopard sperm motility in vitro. Sperm capacitation was also assessed following incubation in PBS with bovine serum albumin (BSA), fetal calf serum (FCS), or heparin. For maintaining sperm motility, there was no benefit (P ? 0.05) to supplementing PBS with low (5%) or high (20%) concentrations of snow leopard serum (SLS) versus FCS or BSA. Likewise, adding supplemental energy substrates (pyruvate, glucose, lactate, or glutamine) did not enhance or hinder (P ? 0.05) sperm motility. However, motility rapidly decreased (P < 0.05) with the addition of NaHCO3 to PBS or Ham's F10 nutrient mixture. Surprisingly, Ham's F10 with no buffering component or with both NaHCO3 and N-Z-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N'-2- ethanesulfonic acid (HEPES) maintained sperm motility at levels similar (P ? 0.05) to PBS. Although sperm motility in all treatments decreased with time, there was a strong inverse relationship (P < 0.01; r = 0.90) between motility and sample pH at 6 hours. Spermatozoa incubated in PBS containing FCS, BSA, or heparin did not undergo the acrosome reaction when exposed to calcium ionophore. In summary, alkaline pH has a profound detrimental effect on snow leopard sperm motility, and capacitation does not occur under conditions that normally promote this event in other felid species. These results clearly demonstrate a high degree of interspecific variation among felids in fundamental sperm function, and they provide evidence for the necessity of basic research when developing assisted reproduction in little-studied nondomestic species.
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Rothschild, B. M., Rothschild, C., & Woods, R. J. (1998). Inflammatory arthritis in large cats: An expanded spectrum of spondyloarthropathy. Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, 29(3), 279–284.
Abstract: Spondyloarthropathy was documented for the first time in 14 (3.7%) of 386 large cats, affecting eight species belonging to three genera. The limited distribution of joint erosions, associated with spine and sacroiliac joint pathology, was indistinguishable from that occurring in humans with spondyloarthropathy of the reactive type. This form of inflammatory arthritis is almost twice as common as osteoarthritis (for felids as a whole), and animal well-being may be enhanced by its recognition and by initiation of specific treatment.
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Rowell, G. (1983). China's Wildlife Lament. International Wildlife, 13(6), 4–11.
Abstract: Reports sightings of snow leopard in Qinghai Province. One freshly killed; a 15 yuan bounty exists on snow leopards
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Rude, K. (1985). Aiding the elusive snow leopard. Endangered Species Technical Bulletin Reprint, 2(3), 1–6.
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Ruedi, D., Heldstab, A., Wiesner, H., & Keller, P. (1978). Liver cirrhosis in the snow leopard (Uncia uncia): Case histories of three animals and suggestion of some diagnostic possibilities. In L. Blomqvist (Ed.), International Pedigree Book of Snow Leopards, Vol. 1 (Vol. 1, pp. 113–129). Helsinki: Helsinki Zoo.
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Ruedi, D., Heldstab, A., & van den Ingh, T. S. G. A. M. (1980). Liver cirrhosis in snow leopards – further results. In L. Blomqvist (Ed.), International Pedigree Book of Snow Leopards (Vol. 2, pp. 195–204). Helsinki: Helsinki Zoo.
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Ryan, J. A., Roudebush, P., & Shores, J. (1990). Laryngeal obstruction associated with cuterebrosis in a snow leopard (Felis-uncia). Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, 21(3), 346–352.
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Saberwal, V. K. (1996). Pastoral Politics:gaddi grazing, degradation and biodiversity conservation in Himachal Pradesh, India. Conservation Biology, 10, 741–749.
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