Research overview: in vitro fertilization for endangered felids

Applying in vitro fertilization to endangered cats aims to produce embryos from valuable individuals, including those that cannot breed naturally, for transfer to surrogates or for banking. This overview surveys efforts to adapt feline in vitro fertilization to species such as the cheetah, ocelot, and others, including recovery of oocytes from live or recently deceased animals and fertilization with fresh or frozen sperm. It reviews the lower efficiencies encountered relative to the domestic cat model and the integration of in vitro fertilization with genome resource banking. The review connects this technology to long-term conservation goals. Understanding in vitro fertilization in endangered felids clarifies both its promise and the technical hurdles that limit its routine use.