The Hyderabad-based Laboratory of Conservation of Endangered Species is hogging the limelight for developing a technology to save the endangered species.
The unique scientific unit has perfected artificial insemination technology to save the species from extinction
HYDERABAD: Just when the country is rife with speculations about actor Salman Khan's fate in the blackbuck poaching case, the Hyderabad-based Laboratory of Conservation of Endangered Species (LaCONES) is hogging the limelight for developing a technology to save the endangered species.
LaCONES is a modern-day scientific arc that seeks to build technologies and libraries of cryogenically preserved sperm of endangered animals. It has successfully perfected artificial insemination technology in an 'estrus induced blackbuck'. Weighing 2.6 kg, Blackey became the world's first fawn conceived through a non-surgical, intra-vaginal insemination procedure six months back. "We consider it the world's first non-surgical creation," said Dr Lalji Singh, director of LaCONES and also the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), under whose guidance the process was carried out.
Three other scientists, Sadanand Sonatakke, Manoj Patel and G Umapathy had assisted him. LaCONES is funded by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), the Ministry of Environment and Forests, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Central Zoo Authority. The scientists had to collect 85 ejaculations from five males and insert them in three female blackbucks of which only one yielded pregnancy, the scientists said.
But this is not the first time the scientists have demonstrated the technology.
About 18 months back, Spotty, a commonly available spotted deer, was produced using the same process at LaCONES.
"Less than 38,000 blackbucks survive in the wild today. We thank the government to allow us experiment on the endangered species so that we can save them from extinction," said Dr S Shivaji.
Ironically, the LaCONES is believed to be involved in the DNA analysis of the blackbucks hunted down by actor Salman Khan. The report apparently nailed him for the crime. Next in line is the endangered species of vultures and Nicobar pigeons, the scientist said.
There are only about 150 Nicobar pigeons alive, that too in a protected zone off the Nicobar Islands. Another major project in line is the cloning of the Indian cheetah which has been hunted down to extinction in India while a few are in captivity in Iran.
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