Comments on: ‘Alala Takes Extraordinary Flight http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2009/05/07/%e2%80%98alala-takes-extraordinary-flight/ Thu, 18 Mar 2010 21:17:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Melissa http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2009/05/07/%e2%80%98alala-takes-extraordinary-flight/comment-page-1/#comment-453084 Melissa Sat, 20 Jun 2009 23:37:34 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/?p=4305#comment-453084 Good luck Kinohi! Good luck Kinohi!

]]> By: Alexandra Adams http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2009/05/07/%e2%80%98alala-takes-extraordinary-flight/comment-page-1/#comment-449341 Alexandra Adams Sat, 30 May 2009 02:02:52 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/?p=4305#comment-449341 This is a fascinating story! Good luck to Kinohi, and to all of you. This is such important work. This is a fascinating story! Good luck to Kinohi, and to all of you. This is such important work.

]]> By: njr_sd http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2009/05/07/%e2%80%98alala-takes-extraordinary-flight/comment-page-1/#comment-449237 njr_sd Thu, 28 May 2009 23:15:39 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/?p=4305#comment-449237 Barbara - thanks so much for the information - good luck with the semen collection! Barbara – thanks so much for the information – good luck with the semen collection!

]]> By: njr_sd http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2009/05/07/%e2%80%98alala-takes-extraordinary-flight/comment-page-1/#comment-448605 njr_sd Mon, 25 May 2009 18:41:18 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/?p=4305#comment-448605 Has there ever been a successful atrificial insemination for the `alala ? Have you been able to capture sperm samples yet? Hope Kinohi gets some of the toys off the May wish list! <em>Dr. Barbara Durrant, director of the Zoo's Reproductive Physiology division, responds: Kinohi is doing very well in his spacious, private suite in quarantine at the Harter Veterinary Medical Center. He enjoys all the enrichment items provided by the keepers, but seems to favor cardboard boxes and paper toweling. He is nesting in one of the boxes, arranging provisioned hay and exhibiting cupping behavior. This is an excellent indication that he is producing appropriate levels of breeding hormones, so it can be assumed he is also producing sperm. I visit him daily, and he is getting quite accustomed to my presence, voice, and touch. In preparation for semen collection, I stroke Kinohi's back and down his tail. He comes to me for this attention and our sessions have increased in duration from 10 minutes to up to 30 minutes. Last Friday was an especially good day. Kinohi demonstrated his trust by presenting his back to me for stroking as he stood on a perch. It was in this position that he allowed me to stroke his abdomen as well as his back, a prerequisite for manual semen collection. At an interdepartment meeting Friday morning, vets, researchers, animal care staff, and program managers discussed Kinohi's progress, health, and upcoming move to the off-exhibit Bird Breeding Center. I will continue to increase the frequency and duration of my interaction with Kinohi and hope to report successful semen collection in the near future.</em> Has there ever been a successful atrificial insemination for the `alala ? Have you been able to capture sperm samples yet?
Hope Kinohi gets some of the toys off the May wish list!

Dr. Barbara Durrant, director of the Zoo’s Reproductive Physiology division, responds: Kinohi is doing very well in his spacious, private suite in quarantine at the Harter Veterinary Medical Center. He enjoys all the enrichment items provided by the keepers, but seems to favor cardboard boxes and paper toweling. He is nesting in one of the boxes, arranging provisioned hay and exhibiting cupping behavior. This is an excellent indication that he is producing appropriate levels of breeding hormones, so it can be assumed he is also producing sperm.

I visit him daily, and he is getting quite accustomed to my presence, voice, and touch. In preparation for semen collection, I stroke Kinohi’s back and down his tail. He comes to me for this attention and our sessions have increased in duration from 10 minutes to up to 30 minutes. Last Friday was an especially good day. Kinohi demonstrated his trust by presenting his back to me for stroking as he stood on a perch. It was in this position that he allowed me to stroke his abdomen as well as his back, a prerequisite for manual semen collection.

At an interdepartment meeting Friday morning, vets, researchers, animal care staff, and program managers discussed Kinohi’s progress, health, and upcoming move to the off-exhibit Bird Breeding Center. I will continue to increase the frequency and duration of my interaction with Kinohi and hope to report successful semen collection in the near future.

]]> By: Margaret http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2009/05/07/%e2%80%98alala-takes-extraordinary-flight/comment-page-1/#comment-445342 Margaret Thu, 07 May 2009 20:15:17 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/?p=4305#comment-445342 Wow! Veterinary science has come a long way, especially in the study of reproductive science. Best wishes for an enjoyable stay in San Diego Kinohi and Sharon. Wow! Veterinary science has come a long way, especially in the study of reproductive science.

Best wishes for an enjoyable stay in San Diego Kinohi and Sharon.

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