Breeding Techniques

You said: Let the tigers breed naturally, just like in the wild

That's the most successful method. Virtually all captive breeding programs use natural methods of reproduction: the male and female tigers are put in a room together and left to their instincts. Biologists are researching other methods, but have had little success as yet.

		Natural Breeding. Tiger mating is not a sight for the faint-hearted, since the cats often look like they are fighting rather than mating. The female, who has been moaning, calling, and prustining (WAV, 41K) for several days, begins rolling over and writhing on her back. If she is ready to mate when the male is brought in, she exhibits lordosis or semilordosis (postures assumed just prior to copulation). The male mounts her and bites the back of her neck. Mating lasts only a few seconds, but the two may mate several times in an hour.

Tiger embryos

In vitro fertilization. Sperm and eggs are collected from male and female animals and fertilized in a laboratory. Any embryos produced are then put back into a female to develop and eventually to be born. While one zoo has successfully produced a litter of two cubs with this method, it remains very experimental.

Artificial insemination. Despite many attempts, only one cub has been successfully produced through artificial insemination. Like many members of the cat family, tigers do not ovulate spontaneously, but are induced to ovulate by mating. The concentration and timing of hormonal injections to stimulate ovulation, and the timing of insemination, is critical to success. More research is needed to refine these procedures.

Researchers continue to explore other methods of artificial insemination in hopes of developing a reliable technique.

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