Reproductive Management Course

open online course

Course dates:

Participants will gain access to pre-recorded lectures and the e-learning module weekly from the 26th April 2023.
Participants will also be invited to a weekly live webinar with the tutors to further discuss the content.
Weekly webinars will begin on the 3rd May 2023 at 1pm BST.

Cost: Free

Course description:

This online course will provide an overview of what reproductive management is and how it may be brought into management and veterinary decisions to improve the sustainability of ex and in situ animal management. At the end of the course, participants will understand how to practically apply reproductive management to the individuals and populations they manage.

The five key themes and their learning outcomes are:

  1. Introduction to reproductive management:
    • Understand what reproductive management is and what is its role in zoo and wildlife populations.
    • Demonstrate an understanding of reproductive biology including reproductive systems in a range of species, reproductive physiology and basic endocrinology.
  1. Sustainable reproductive management:
    • Acquire understanding on sustainable reproductive management practices with regards to managing reproductive health and maintaining reproductive potential.
    • Understand the challenges and benefits of contraception and learn to identify the most suitable option for each case.
  1. Monitoring reproduction:
    • Understand the role and importance of non-invasive reproductive monitoring and reproductive health assessments.
    • Learn how and when non-invasive monitoring and invasive reproductive assessments can be used.
  1. Assisted reproductive techniques and cryopreservation:
    • Learn to compare and contrast basic and advanced assisted reproductive techniques (ARTs).
    • Be able to critically discuss the application of ARTs and cryopreservation in wildlife species now and the future.
    • Understand the use of cryopreserved material in population management.
  1. Reproductive management of free-ranging species:
    • Understand the complexities involved in in situ fertility control, including product development and welfare, ethical, ecological, and cost considerations.
    • Understand how to apply the One Plan Approach to wildlife conservation breeding.

Assessment: There are no formal assessments.

Registration:

You can register for the course using this form. If you encounter any problems, please contact isabel.callealta@eaza.net.

Developed by:  The EAZA Reproductive Management Group, Dr. Veronica Cowl and Dr Isabel Callealta.

Aimed at: Professionals responsible for animal management in and ex situ. Participants should be affiliated with zoos and aquaria, academia, or research. Participants should have a baseline knowledge of animal management and reproduction.

Language:  English.

Estimated time to complete:  Approximately 15 hours (minimum) to complete all modules.

Delivery method: Self-paced online modules (we will deliver one module per week for 5 weeks; after that time all learning material will remain openly available following registration).

Additional information:
-The course materials are currently available in English. Automatically generated subtitles will be available for the video content.

-If you would like to translate them into another language to increase accessibility then please contact isabel.callealta@eaza.net.

-The Morris Animal Foundation, Botstiber Institute on Wildlife Fertility Control and Chester Zoo have kindly provided funding to set up and launch this course.