Study about the normal semen quality of free-ranging Southern White Rhinoceros located in South Africa

Abstract

Various aspects are challenging the population of the Rhinoceros, such as poaching for their horn and their homogenous gene pool having the biggest influence on their numbers. The further conservation of this species may require intervention by breeding management and various assisted reproductive technologies (ART) to improve their population numbers. Ejaculates were collected by electroejaculation in 7 male rhinoceros. Basic semen analysis techniques were used to evaluate the semen in field conditions including macroscopic evaluations to microscopic evaluations to evaluate individual sperm cells.