Ex Situ Approaches for the Conservation of Genetic Resources in the Superorder Xenarthra.

Xenarthra-a superorder of placental mammals endemic to the Neotropics-is represented by armadillos, anteaters, and sloths. Considering their long history in the Americas, extant xenarthrans represent an important group for understanding the impact of past environmental changes on species diversification and serve key ecological functions as ecosystem engineers. Unfortunately, most wild xenarthran populations are at risk, due primarily to anthropogenic activities, necessitating urgent conservation efforts. Moreover, the paucity of information on some species has rendered population estimation and, consequently, conservation management challenging. In addition, relatively few groups are researching this superorder, perhaps because fieldwork with armadillos, anteaters, or sloths and their captive care are challenging tasks. Nevertheless, dedicated research and efforts to ensure the long-term conservation of these animals are deemed essential. In this context, cryobanks are a practical approach for breeding and maintaining genetic diversity in wildlife, and they are important tools for assisting and improving both ex situ and in situ conservation strategies. Therefore, cryopreservation of biological resources may be a promising strategy for conserving xenarthrans. Specifically, semen cryopreservation, which has already been applied in some species, may be the most effective strategy for this group. The present article provides an overview of ex situ conservation of xenarthrans, which will contribute to the development and implementation of additional strategies for protecting these unique mammals.

Biobanking and use of gonadal tissues - a promising strategy for conserving wildlife from the Caatinga biome.

Biological Resource Banks (BRB) or Genetic Resource Banks (GRB) are critical tools for the conservation of animal biodiversity. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, more than 38,500 species are threatened with extinction, out of a total of 138,300 surveyed species. These banks are repositories of biological samples and data recovered and preserved for the long term by zoos, universities, research centers and other conservation organizations. In recent years, BRB have increasingly included ovarian and testicular tissues as additional options to rescue and propagate wild species, especially those at risk of extinction. After in vitro culture or grafting, gonadal tissues are potential sources of matured gametes that can be used for Assisted Reproduction Technologies while informing about gametogenesis or mechanisms involved in infertility. It therefore is crucial to properly recover, cryopreserve, and culture these tissues using species-specific protocols. Developing BRBs is currently one of the strategies to preserve species from the Caatinga biome - an exclusively Brazilian biome with a rich wild fauna that suffers from anthropogenic activities. Among wild species from this biome, studies have been primarily conducted in collared peccaries, agoutis, cavies, and armadillos to preserve their ovarian and testicular tissues. Additionally, domestic species such as the domestic cat and donkeys have been proposed as models for wild species that are phylogenetically close. This review addresses the main technical aspects involved in obtaining BRB derived from gonadal tissues in some wild species of the Caatinga biome. It reports recent advances and perspectives to use these biological materials for wildlife conservation.

Biobanking and use of gonadal tissues - a promising strategy for conserving wildlife from the Caatinga biome

Biological Resource Banks (BRB) or Genetic Resource Banks (GRB) are critical tools for the conservation of animal biodiversity. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, more than 38,500 species are threatened with extinction, out of a total of 138,300 surveyed species. These banks are repositories of biological samples and data recovered and preserved for the long term by zoos, universities, research centers and other conservation organizations. In recent years, BRB have increasingly included ovarian and testicular tissues as additional options to rescue and propagate wild species, especially those at risk of extinction. After in vitro culture or grafting, gonadal tissues are potential sources of matured gametes that can be used for Assisted Reproduction Technologies while informing about gametogenesis or mechanisms involved in infertility. It therefore is crucial to properly recover, cryopreserve, and culture these tissues using species-specific protocols. Developing BRBs is currently one of the strategies to preserve species from the Caatinga biome - an exclusively Brazilian biome with a rich wild fauna that suffers from anthropogenic activities. Among wild species from this biome, studies have been primarily conducted in collared peccaries, agoutis, cavies, and armadillos to preserve their ovarian and testicular tissues. Additionally, domestic species such as the domestic cat and donkeys have been proposed as models for wild species that are phylogenetically close. This review addresses the main technical aspects involved in obtaining BRB derived from gonadal tissues in some wild species of the Caatinga biome. It reports recent advances and perspectives to use these biological materials for wildlife conservation.(AU)