NEWS
A4 • WESTERN HILLS PRESS • JULY 31, 2013
West Price Hill doctor helping save a species the fruits of Stoops’ groundbreaking labor (no pun intended) culminated with the birth of Ethan – the first known rhino calf in the United States to be conceived through artificial insemination and thrive in captivity. “It feels fantastic,” Stoops, who lives in West Price Hill, said of the
By Tony Meale westnews@communitypress.com
West Price Hill — In February 2012, Dr. Monica Stoops, a reproductive physiologist for the Cincinnati Zoo, performed an artificial insemination on Jeta, a female Indian rhino in Montgomery, Ala. Sixteen months later,
achievement. “It’s a personal satisfaction, but it also feels really good knowing we had a team effort to make a difference for Indian rhinos. Everybody’s been behind the effort to get AI to work and have it be a viable option, and to see it being applied is awesome.” Ethan’s birth was near-
Anne G. Banta D.D.S. General Dentistry Offering New Patient Specials!
Anne G. Banta D.D.S., General Dentistry, is a state-of-the art practice focusing on high-quality dentistry and patient experience. The office is located at 5680 Bridgetown Rd., Suite B, Cincinnati Oh 45248.
The practice offers an array of oral health services for children and adults.
• Crown and Bridge • Oral cancer screenings • Implant • Complete and Restorations partial Dentures • Oral appliance therapy for treating • Teeth Whitening snoring and sleep
• Professional cleanings and exams • Digital X-rays • Porcelain Veneers • Dental Sealants • Fillings
apnea
Dr. Banta received her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from The Ohio State University. She has been practicing dentistry in Greater Cincinnati for over 25 years, formerly an associate of The Dental Practice of Dr. Corbitt & Dr. Banta.
Dr. Banta was selected by her peers to be included in 2013 top Dentists™ which was featured in Cincinnati Magazine’s February issue.
For APPOINTMENTS CALL 513.574.2444 www.AnneBantaDDS.com
CE-0000562720
ly one decade in the making, as Stoops collected sperm in 2004 from a male rhino, Himal, who at the time was living in Zanesville, Ohio. The sperm was stored for eight years at minus 320 degrees Fahrenheit at the Cincinnati Zoo’s Conservation & Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW) CryoBioBank. It was then taken to Alabama, thawed and used in the AI procedure on Jeta, a 12-year-old on breeding loan from the San Diego Wild Animal Park. The first two procedures with Jeta were unsuccessful, but the third time was a charm, as the mother gave birth to Ethan in June. Stoops prefers animals to mate naturally, but certain species, including the Indian rhino, make it difficult – in part because the males and females don’t always, well, get along. “With African rhinos, the female tends to be in charge; you’ll see the male standing off to the side and the female will tell him when he can come over – and he listens,” the West Price Hill resident explained. “But the (Indian) rhino tends to be maledominated. (Indian) rhinos also have canine teeth so they have very sharp incisors and they actually use them during aggressive interaction.” In other words, when it comes to the Indian rhino, AI tends to be the safest option for all parties involved. Himal and Jeta, in fact, attempted to breed naturally but displayed too much aggression to-
Dr. Monica Stoops helps artificially inseminates a rhino at the Montgomery (Ala.) Zoo.PROVIDED
Jeta, who was still pregnant. Stoops was more than fine with the name. “We just wanted three toes on each foot,” she said, laughing. As of now, Himal, Jeta and Ethan all reside at Montgomery Zoo – one big, happy, pseudo-aggressive family. “Of course we want to have baby rhinos (in Cincinnati),” said Stoops, who also does reproductive work on animals ranging from polar bears to aquatic salamanders. “But it’s just as satisfying to know that other zoos and other people and other keepers are able to enjoy a baby rhino somewhere.”
ward one another. “(Artificial insemination) can be a little challenging for the research team,” she said, “but it’s what’s best for the animals.” AI also allows researchers to improve genetic diversity of the species, as there are only 60 Indian rhinos in captivity in North America and merely 2,500 remaining in the wild. As for Ethan, he was named in honor of Ethan Gilman, the 6-year-old Alabama boy who was taken hostage in February. Gilman reportedly visited the Montgomery Zoo a few days after his release and bonded with
<&+ 74,: 3*?
<&+ 74,: '9'%&
":DD: ) >136 =:A@5:5 ) D */ /$#1 63#(&
":7A4 ) >136 =74@?;4 D */ /$#1 63#(&
/*: AF00 '/%B '*( E?E
&*/+ -?+
<&+ 74,: ($3)1!&3
"%7! 6 '/)!-% 6 +3<!5# 1<,19 6 /%73+% ;%89%-- %5+/8
3AC
1
3E :58+" =%*-%
A?9
;
+5B8 9 '5)8+/< ":5D4 ) >136 =:D@AD5
3;C
1
=%*-%
A?9
*$+%/ 134000 /%(*+% 7 134F00 &5B8
<&+ 74,: '9'%&
<&+ 74,: ($3)1!&3
'"*/#%/ -% 1D.C= *DD8BCB0>8 6B>2B58
66C
A?9
;
=%*-%
*$+%/ 1A4000 /%(*+% 7 134F00 &5B8
<&+ 74,: '9'%&
*D%8#%/ -?+ &%:5
"7AA; >136 =7A@A?2 D */ /$#1 63#(&
3;C
1
A?9@
*$+%/ 164F00 /%(*+% 7 134F00 &5B8
A *+ +"!- 2/!'%,
63C
1
":57, ) >136 =7?@5;4
3CC
134F00 &5B8
6; :58+" =%*-%
<&+ 74,: ($3)1!&3
=%*-%
A *+ +"!- 2/!'%,
$C4 16 - &-A.1> '9+C :,
&()) *'++
A?9;
134F00 &5B8
6; :58+"
A?9;
*@ %53!+") *?C=B=C+<8 #7=@0=2 =5 C/8 (+@!+@@"C+ $8;0
=*/%&5 E?E
=%*-%
B/*8#=%/ -25/+ E?E
13<%/ 7335/33$ 6 5*=!#*+!35 6 /*998% *11%*/*5' #/3)1 6 &)*9 %:"*)-+ 6 '"/37% <"%%9- 6 /%*/ -13!9%/ 6 >0. 9!+/% =. %5#!5%
5B8 !+ 58=<
#/*8& '"%/5@%%
":5:5 >136 =::@2,4 D */ /$#1 63#(&
<&+ 74,: "&&6
1
=%*-%
3E :58+"
A?9;
*$+%/ 1A4F00 /%(*+% 7 134F00 &5B8
E3 :58+"
A?9
<&+ 74,: "&&6
":252 ) >136 =75@?;4
A.C
3E :58+" ;
134F00 &5B8
300 =!:!+%& 1
1
ACC
1
3E :58+" ;
*$+%/ 134>F0 /%(*+% 7 134F00 &5B8
":2:: >136 =7;@:;4 7 */ /$#1 63#(&
/9-3#<%
.$%##$!#,$%"-"
1(%*+%,# /.-- "'%#$,+% 0++& !(-)+
#!%(# &'"$#) >9<8/$-31 ,+. 0 ,C. %3# ,+. 0 ?C. 1*/ ,+. 0 5B:4C. (!91&' 1-<
$()!3),3)% %( 2** (/ 6(&%-3&) 73)%#0+9. $,)0,))2%,. 2)5 4'"' 8)5,2)21
600 *B& &%:5
"7,?A >136 =:?@;:5 D */ /$#1 63#(&
9):)/8 9%*+"%/ 6 5*=!#*+!35 &/!=%/ '35=%5!%5'% 1;#0 6 >0. =. <,4 -1 *)+3 /%*/ (*';2)1 '*7%/*
5B8 !+ 58=<
6>C
1
A?9@
*$+%/ 134F00 /%(*+% 7 134F00 &5B8
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