The Genetic Reproduction Laboratory (Reprogen) at the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS) has created a genetic bank with the goal of cloning jaguars within a year. The main objective of the project is to preserve the third-largest feline in the world by strengthening its genes.
Jaguars typically roam thousands of kilometers in search of food, which leads to reproduction with animals from other regions. However, due to climate change, hunting, and trafficking, it has become increasingly common for mating to occur between individuals from the same region and even the same "family." According to the laboratory's coordinator, veterinarian and researcher Gediendson Ribeiro de Araújo, this behavior weakens the species, as inbreeding results in individuals with deformities and lower chances of survival in the wild.
"We saw the need to collect this tissue and, in the lab, cultivate somatic cells, mainly fibroblasts, to store them. In the future, for example, we can use cloning or another biotechnology to restore this lost genetic material," explained the researcher. "Currently, we have collected tissue and fibroblasts from 53 jaguars, 33 of which are from the wild and from all biomes. We have samples from jaguars in the Caatinga, the Atlantic Forest, the Cerrado, the Pantanal, and the Amazon."
The genetic material is stored at a negative temperature of 193 degrees Celsius, ensuring its indefinite preservation. Even genetic material from roadkill is cultivated and preserved.
Reprogen recently hosted Argentine researchers specializing in cloning production-line animals such as sheep. This exchange of knowledge and the arrival of new equipment will allow the first cloning attempts to begin within a year.
Cloning is not the only method being used for jaguar preservation. Gediendson is also the founder of Reprocon Institute, a Civil Society Organization of Public Interest (Oscip), which has been working for years to improve genetic diversity through the fertilization of wild males with captive females.
This process is complex, involving capturing wild animals, collecting semen, and handling and freezing the material in the field. Traps are set in the biomes to capture the animals with care to minimize stress. The traps are monitored by radio signals, and researchers immediately respond when an animal is caught. The jaguar is sedated with a dart to allow the team to handle it safely. After collecting the material, the animal undergoes a health check and is revived before being released back into the wild.
Two artificial insemination attempts—one before the pandemic and a more recent one—were unsuccessful. However, another attempt is scheduled by the end of the year, and the researcher is optimistic about success. Improvements in field collection and hormone application in females to stimulate artificial insemination are the key factors for the healthy birth of offspring.
This will be a significant step toward ensuring the success of cloning, as Gediendson explains: "With all the experience we've gained in embryo transfer in captive jaguars, which we're also working on, we believe that in one more year, we will achieve cloned embryos."