Latest news with #ChesterZoo
Telegraph
2 days ago
- General
- Telegraph
Endangered species could be saved by faeces, say scientists
Animal dung could be used to save endangered species, scientists believe. A new trial by the University of Oxford and Chester Zoo is aiming to harvest living cells from faeces in the hope they could be transformed into stem cells and eventually sperm and eggs. If successful, it could allow conservationists to collect genetic samples of rare and endangered animals from their waste without having to bother, or even see, the creature itself. The cells could be used to inseminate or clone animals and bring them back from the brink of extinction. Dr Rhiannon Bolton, carrying out research on dung from lions, elephants, giraffes and okapi at Chester Zoo, said: 'If this works, it could be a total game-changer. Right now, UK veterinary guidelines mean you can only collect genetic samples in very specific circumstances or following death, which limits the samples you can collect. 'It's early days yet, but this would allow us to collect cells from a far broader range of animals than we currently can, both individuals within a species and in terms of different species. 'It would make collecting and storing living animal cells non-invasive, cost-effective and efficient.' Oxford is currently trialling new techniques to isolate, wash and culture living cells to store them for conservation purposes. The faecal matter is processed to strip away anything left by the animal's diet or bacteria, allowing scientists to separate out living cells from the donor animal, which can then be extracted and cultured. These living cells have the potential to be used to create stem cells further down the line. Stem cells in turn could become sperm and egg cells, which would be used in conservation breeding or even cloning. The International Union for Conservation of Nature estimates that more than 41,000 species are currently under threat of extinction. Dr Bolton said: 'The keepers and scientists at the zoo pick up samples left in animal habitats. Because these are new techniques, we're trying to collect the freshest samples possible, so I'll get a delivery to the zoo lab, which is processed here. 'The clean cells are then posted to Oxford on the same day. We're looking at a range of animals as the cells from some species might be harder to culture than others. It's likely that the techniques will have to be tweaked for different species.' Currently, the samples must be collected quickly to ensure their freshness, so zoo animals are the perfect donors, but this technique could one day be used in the field, preserving cells from rare animals in the wild. The goal is to bank as much material as possible to prevent extinctions.' Chester Zoo already monitors the dung of its animals to track their health and breeding potential. By testing hormones in animal scat, scientists at the zoo can tell whether animals are ready to mate. Dr Sue Walker, the head of science at Chester Zoo, said: 'Faecal testing is integrated into the daily care of our animal species. We use it to monitor the reproductive and overall health of the animals. 'For instance, we track progesterone in the females which allows us to predict their cycles and lets us know when they are likely to be receptive to a breeding partner, and hormonal analysis also gives us a picture of how they respond to their environment. It helps us offer them optimal care. 'As a conservation zoo, many of the animals we look after are critically endangered. This means their genetics are extremely valuable to the survival of a species as a whole. As science advances, these methods could offer a lifeline to species on the brink.'
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Amazing facts about the bat-eared fox
Two rare bat-eared foxes have arrived at Chester Zoo for the first time in more than 30 get their name from their enormous bat-like ears - that are more than 13 centimetres long! - which help to keep them cool, and track down any tasty insects for a two foxes are sisters and have been named Maasai and Malindi and they've travelled more than 500 miles to Chester Zoo in the UK, from a zoo in Paris, in will live alongside 12 porcupines in a new part of the zoo called Heart of Africa. Bat-eared Fox Factfile In the wild, bat-eared foxes can be found in in the grasslands and savannah of southern and eastern face threats from habitat loss due to human activity like farming, building homes and enormous ears can be over 5 inches (13 centimeters) long. They act like satellite dishes and help the foxes detect the tiniest of movements allowing them to detect prey with pinpoint accuracy - even hearing termites chewing ears are full of blood vessels that shed heat so they also help keep the foxes coolFacts from Chester Zoo/San Diego Zoo 'Incredibly Exciting' Keepers at the zoo hope that one day they can introduce a male bat-eared fox to the group, as part of a conservation breeding programme to help increase numbers of the Manager David White, said their arrival was "incredibly exciting"He added they've been "settling in well so far, spending much of their time exploring their expansive home and getting to know their new housemates – a family of 12 Cape porcupines."
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Bat-eared foxes return to zoo after 30 year wait
A zoo has welcomed two rare bat-eared foxes, 30 years on from when the animal was last there. The two African foxes, which are known for their 13cm (five inches) tall ears, are said to be settling in well at Chester Zoo. Sisters Maasai and Malindi will live alongside 12 porcupines in the zoo's new Heart of Africa habitat and will play a part in the zoo's conservation work. David White, Chester Zoo's team manager, said: "It's incredibly exciting to welcome bat-eared foxes back to Chester Zoo after a 30-year hiatus and they're a wonderful addition to our new Heart of Africa habitat." "They're a truly unique and fascinating species with some amazing adaptations," he added. He said their "enormous ears aren't just for show – they act like satellite dishes and help the foxes detect the tiniest of movements coming from insects beneath the ground, allowing them to detect prey with pinpoint accuracy". Zoo conservationists brought the sisters over to Chester from a zoo in Paris, France, with one of the sisters set to be introduced to a male fox as part of efforts to safeguard the little-known species. Bat-eared foxes were given their name due to their distinctive oversized ears and they are found in the open savannahs and arid grasslands of eastern and southern Africa. In the wild, bat-eared foxes face increasing threats, largely due to habitat loss caused by agriculture, human encroachment and hunting, a zoo spokesperson said. David White said that like many species found in the African savannah, bat-eared foxes were under threat as their habitat became more fragmented as a result of human activity. "That's why our teams are on the ground in several national parks across Kenya and Uganda safeguarding some of the continent's rarest species like northern giraffe, giant pangolins, mountain bongo and Eastern black rhino," he said. "By protecting these species and their habitats we're also helping many of Africa's little known species like bat-eared foxes, that share the same habitats, to go on to thrive once again." Read more stories from Cheshire on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC North West on X. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230. 'Giraffes, zebras, antelopes and ostriches have become housemates' Breeding hope as rare fossa arrives at zoo from US Sloth has pioneering surgery to cure toothache Chester Zoo
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Bat-eared foxes return to zoo after 30 year wait
A zoo has welcomed two rare bat-eared foxes, 30 years on from when the animal was last there. The two African foxes, which are known for their 13cm (five inches) tall ears, are said to be settling in well at Chester Zoo. Sisters Maasai and Malindi will live alongside 12 porcupines in the zoo's new Heart of Africa habitat and will play a part in the zoo's conservation work. David White, Chester Zoo's team manager, said: "It's incredibly exciting to welcome bat-eared foxes back to Chester Zoo after a 30-year hiatus and they're a wonderful addition to our new Heart of Africa habitat." "They're a truly unique and fascinating species with some amazing adaptations," he added. He said their "enormous ears aren't just for show – they act like satellite dishes and help the foxes detect the tiniest of movements coming from insects beneath the ground, allowing them to detect prey with pinpoint accuracy". Zoo conservationists brought the sisters over to Chester from a zoo in Paris, France, with one of the sisters set to be introduced to a male fox as part of efforts to safeguard the little-known species. Bat-eared foxes were given their name due to their distinctive oversized ears and they are found in the open savannahs and arid grasslands of eastern and southern Africa. In the wild, bat-eared foxes face increasing threats, largely due to habitat loss caused by agriculture, human encroachment and hunting, a zoo spokesperson said. David White said that like many species found in the African savannah, bat-eared foxes were under threat as their habitat became more fragmented as a result of human activity. "That's why our teams are on the ground in several national parks across Kenya and Uganda safeguarding some of the continent's rarest species like northern giraffe, giant pangolins, mountain bongo and Eastern black rhino," he said. "By protecting these species and their habitats we're also helping many of Africa's little known species like bat-eared foxes, that share the same habitats, to go on to thrive once again." Read more stories from Cheshire on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC North West on X. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230. 'Giraffes, zebras, antelopes and ostriches have become housemates' Breeding hope as rare fossa arrives at zoo from US Sloth has pioneering surgery to cure toothache Chester Zoo
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Chester Zoo sees return of rare bat-eared foxes after 30 years
A zoo has welcomed two rare bat-eared foxes, 30 years on from when the animal was last two African foxes, which are known for their 13cm (five inches) tall ears, are said to be settling in well at Chester Maasai and Malindi will live alongside 12 porcupines in the zoo's new Heart of Africa habitat and will play a part in the zoo's conservation White, Chester Zoo's team manager, said: "It's incredibly exciting to welcome bat-eared foxes back to Chester Zoo after a 30-year hiatus and they're a wonderful addition to our new Heart of Africa habitat." "They're a truly unique and fascinating species with some amazing adaptations," he said their "enormous ears aren't just for show – they act like satellite dishes and help the foxes detect the tiniest of movements coming from insects beneath the ground, allowing them to detect prey with pinpoint accuracy". Zoo conservationists brought the sisters over to Chester from a zoo in Paris, France, with one of the sisters set to be introduced to a male fox as part of efforts to safeguard the little-known foxes were given their name due to their distinctive oversized ears and they are found in the open savannahs and arid grasslands of eastern and southern Africa. In the wild, bat-eared foxes face increasing threats, largely due to habitat loss caused by agriculture, human encroachment and hunting, a zoo spokesperson said. David White said that like many species found in the African savannah, bat-eared foxes were under threat as their habitat became more fragmented as a result of human activity."That's why our teams are on the ground in several national parks across Kenya and Uganda safeguarding some of the continent's rarest species like northern giraffe, giant pangolins, mountain bongo and Eastern black rhino," he said. "By protecting these species and their habitats we're also helping many of Africa's little known species like bat-eared foxes, that share the same habitats, to go on to thrive once again." Read more stories from Cheshire on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC North West on X. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
