Drusillas Park in Sussex, UK has teamed up with a nature charity to cryogenically freeze a Cambodian binturong to protect the species.
Penh, the zoo’s binturong, died at the age of 18 in July. He was one of just three Cambodian binturongs in European zoos.
Drusillas Park described him as “a true gentleman, lover of tomatoes, and a sweet and gentle soul” who will be “terribly missed by his keepers and our visitors”.
However, Penh’s genetic footprint has been cryogenically preserved in partnership with a charity called Nature’s SAFE.
Nature’s SAFE, one of the world’s first living biobanks, stores cells and tissues in a living state using advanced cryopreservation technologies. These cells can then be thawed and used in breeding programmes for endangered species.
The charity’s approach includes the cryopreservation of sperm, reproductive, and skin cells from deceased animals, which can be used to restore lost genetic diversity and bolster populations.
Nature’s SAFE is the EAZA Biobank’s UK-based cryopreservation partner. “Over 30 zoos and wildlife parks across the UK trust Nature’s SAFE to support their conservation goals,” Drusillas Park said in a press release.
As a charity, Nature’s SAFE provides free sample storage at its state-of-the-art facilities. Its conservation partners maintain ownership of all samples stored in the biobank.
Conservation work at Drusillas Park
“The partnership between Nature’s SAFE and Drusillas embodies our shared commitment to conservation,” the press release says.
“By combining our expertise and resources, we can make a significant impact on the survival of endangered species.
“The loss of Penh is of great sadness, but through this collaboration, his genetic legacy will live on, contributing to the conservation of binturongs for years to come.”
Chester Zoo recently celebrated the birth of one of the rarest animals on the planet, a male onager foal named Jasper, as part of a conservation breeding programme.
Images courtesy of Drusillas Park
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