![rafetus turtle update 2018 rafetus turtle update 2018](https://news.cgtn.com/news/3d3d414f324d444d34457a6333566d54/img/66491e1e42394f43a8885f218134003b/66491e1e42394f43a8885f218134003b.jpg)
Susanne Holtze (Institute for Zoo Biology and Wildlife Research), Lu Shunqing (Wildlife Conservation Society), Qui qi guan (Changsha Zoo veterinarian), Thomas Hildebrandt (Institute for Zoo Biology and Wildlife Research), and Gerald Kuchling (TSA), watch the procedure on the endoscope-linked monitor. Thus, this year we only managed to deposit semen into one of the oviducts the female could not remain anesthetized any longer. Even with the state-of-the-art insemination equipment, the female had to be kept anaesthetized for over three hours before we managed to insert a catheter into one of the oviducts – confirming the problems with insemination through the cloaca detected during the trials last year. Due to the male’s heavily damaged penis, semen collection was again challenging and only a small amount of uncontaminated high-quality semen could be secured. The procedures of this April were again protracted. The turtle pair bask in their temporary habitat. Trials with various softshell turtles at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo had demonstrated that, with the equipment then available to us, we could not do insemination directly into the oviducts through a cloacal approach. This less invasive and less risky method is preferable to insemination through coelioscopy, a method which we performed in 2016. These wires are then used as guides to push insemination catheters into the oviducts. This included a flexible electro-ejaculation probe, a 3D-ultrasound system, and a battery-driven flexible video-chip endoscope with an integrated LED-light source and a working channel, allowing for the positioning of golden-tipped guide wires (normally used for bile ducts and vessels) through the cloaca. Hildebrandt and Holtze brought with them state-of-the-art equipment for artificial insemination that were not available during previous attempts. Kuchling (TSA), veterinarians from the Suzhou and Changsha Zoos, as well as representatives of WCS-China and the China Zoological Society. Paul Calle (Wildlife Conservation Society), Dr. Susanne Holtze (Department of Reproduction Management of the Leibniz Institute for Zoo & Wildlife Research in Berlin) agreed to team up for the procedure with Dr. Firstly, Professor Thomas Hildebrandt and Dr. Several changes occurred regarding team members and procedures. Susanne Holtze (Institute for Zoo Biology and Wildlife Research), Gerald Kuchling (TSA), Thomas Hildebrandt (Institute for Zoo Biology and Wildlife Research), and Qui qi guan (Changsha Zoo veterinarian), carefully perform the procedure. After their recovery, on 16 April 2017, the turtles were moved to their new temporary pond. This eventually took place on 14 April 2017, in basically the only room left standing at the huge demolition site. Gerald Kuchling (TSA) went to Suzhou to advise the zoo regarding the design of a temporary enclosure and to negotiate the possibility for a further attempt of artificial insemination prior to the turtles being moved. For this reason, the pair had to be moved into a temporary pond/enclosure outside the zoo complex. Demolition of the old zoo commenced in early 2017, however, a new appropriate Rafetus facility is not yet available at the new zoo site. To complicate things, the Suzhou Zoo moved to a new location during 2016 and the Rafetus pair was the last animals remaining at the old zoo site. Staff from the Suzhou Zoo load the Rafetus pair for their move to the temporary habitat. In preparation for the new attempt in April 2017, at our request, Suzhou Zoo separated the male and the female in mid-October 2016 so that the male would not (due to his damaged penis) lose sperm through unsuccessful mating attempts during winter and early spring.
RAFETUS TURTLE UPDATE 2018 TRIAL
Since artificial insemination has never been attempted in any other softshell turtle, we must continue to learn through trial and error.
![rafetus turtle update 2018 rafetus turtle update 2018](https://www.joelsartore.com/wp-content/uploads/stock/ANI080/ANI080-00405.jpg)
Semen collection by electro-ejaculation and artificial insemination of the last pair of Yangtze Giant Softshell Turtle ( Rafetus swinhoei) in China unfortunately did not produce any fertilized eggs in 20, therefore we continue to modify and improve the procedures.
![rafetus turtle update 2018 rafetus turtle update 2018](https://therevelator.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Yangtze-turtle-female-basking-Emily-King.jpg)
TSA and partners coordinate a third artificial insemination attempt of the Yangtze Giant Softshell Turtle in China