Summary

# Editorial Summary: Assisted Reproduction in the Tsushima Leopard Cat The Tsushima leopard cat (*Prionailurus bengalensis euptilurus*), endemic to a single Japanese island, faces extinction without intervention; conventional captive breeding programmes cannot maximise genetic diversity through natural pairing alone, making assisted reproductive technologies essential for species survival. Researchers induced ovulation in two female leopard cats using equine chorionic gonadotropin (200 IU) followed by porcine luteinising hormone (1000 IU after 96 hours), then performed laparoscopic oviductal artificial insemination with spermatozoa collected from genetically important males. One female successfully conceived and delivered a healthy female kitten 66 days post-insemination—representing the first documented successful AI in this species—whilst the second female showed radiographic confirmation of pregnancy. Though limited to two cases, this technique demonstrates the feasibility of laparoscopic oviductal insemination as a conservation tool for felids with restricted genetic pools, potentially offering a framework for similar breeding programmes in other endangered small carnivores where natural breeding is contraindicated. For equine professionals, whilst this study concerns felines rather than horses, the gonadotropin protocols and timing strategies employed mirror established equine reproduction practices, underscoring the translational value of refining AI techniques across species.

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Key Findings

• •Laparoscopic oviductal artificial insemination successfully induced pregnancy in a Tsushima leopard cat female after hormonal stimulation with eCG and pLH
• •One viable female kitten was delivered 66 days post-AI, representing the first successful AI case in this species
• •Pregnancy was confirmed radiographically in both treated females at 45 and 51 days post-insemination

Conditions Studied

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