Embryo technology in conservation efforts for endangered felids

This review synthesized progress in applying in vitro fertilization, embryo culture, embryo transfer, and cryopreservation to nondomestic cats, using the domestic cat as a research model. The author summarized methods for collecting and maturing oocytes, fertilizing them in vitro, and transferring resulting embryos to surrogate females, including across species boundaries. The article discussed successes and persistent inefficiencies, such as variable oocyte quality and low pregnancy rates, and emphasized integrating these tools with genome resource banking. By mapping what had been achieved in species from ocelots to African wildcats, the review framed assisted reproductive technology as a complement to natural breeding for maintaining genetic diversity in small captive felid populations.