Conservation Breeding & Assisted Reproduction

Mandate

To provide scientific and technical oversight of all conservation breeding and assisted reproduction activities for Asian rhinos across the full management spectrum — from traditional captive facilities and zoo-based programmes to intensively managed semi-wild populations in fenced sanctuaries within or adjacent to protected areas.

The sub-committee recognises that the boundary between ex-situ and in-situ management is increasingly blurred for critically endangered species, and provides guidance relevant to all managed population contexts. It also has responsibility for standardised protocols for the collection, storage and use of biological samples across all managed and wild populations, and for exploring the frontier of genetic rescue technologies by forging partnerships with scientific institutions and biotechnology organisations beyond the traditional rhino conservation community.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and maintain AsRSG guidelines for husbandry, veterinary care and welfare of Asian rhinos under managed conditions, in captive facilities or in-range sanctuaries.
• Advise on the genetic management of all managed populations — captive, semi-wild and sanctuary-based — to maximise diversity and long-term reproductive viability.
• Provide technical oversight of assisted reproductive technologies including artificial insemination, embryo transfer, in-vitro fertilisation and cryopreservation.
• Develop standardised protocols for collection, handling, processing and storage of biopsy samples across all management contexts.
• Establish and oversee a central biobank for Asian rhino genetic material, with clear governance on access, use and long-term custodianship.
• Explore the potential of cloning and other advanced genetic rescue technologies, and build partnerships with reproductive science institutions, biotechnology organisations and genomics research centres.
• Coordinate with zoos, in-range sanctuaries and national wildlife authorities.
• Evaluate proposals for translocation, transfer or breeding collaboration.
• Advise on the establishment and management of new fenced sanctuary populations within rhino range.
• Maintain a studbook or equivalent population management database covering all Asian rhinos under managed care.

Relationship to leadership

The sub-committee reports to the AsRSG Leadership Team through Bhaskar Choudhury, Deputy Chair. Its mandate explicitly spans the ex-situ to in-situ continuum, making it one of the most cross-cutting bodies in the AsRSG structure.