At Inokashira Park Zoo, Ijima's Copper Pheasant has successfully bred for the first time in five years. This is the first time in nine years that artificial insemination has been used for breeding. This time, we will introduce our efforts in artificial insemination.

During the breeding season in March and April, Copper Pheasant pheasants become aggressive and chase away anything that intrudes on their territory. Because males are so aggressive during this time that they will even attack females of the same species, keeping males and females together is not easy and requires careful handling. In 2017, we successfully bred them together in the current exhibit, and since 2019, we have continued to keep males and females together, aiming for natural mating. However, all the eggs obtained over the past three years were unfertilized, so this year we decided to try artificial insemination.

Artificial insemination of Copper Pheasant consists of two steps: semen collection and semen injection. First, semen collection was performed using the "massage method," which involves stroking the male's back with your hand to stimulate it, then pinching its cloaca to induce ejaculation. Immediately afterward, the collected semen was diluted and injected into the female's oviduct using a syringe.

The most challenging aspect of this method is mastering the technique for collecting semen. Therefore, we sought guidance from a former practitioner with experience in successful artificial insemination. Please see the video for details.

Please also check out this tweeted video.
This spring, Copper Pheasant caretaker worked on artificial sperm collection and artificial insemination, resulting in the birth of these chicks. https://t.co/nVZlA6rGho

—Inokashira Inokashira Park Zoo [Official] (@InokashiraZoo) May 29, 2022

This year, nine eggs were confirmed to have been laid between March 30th and April 25th, of which three were fertilized. Of the fertilized eggs, one had a cracked eggshell and was an aborted egg whose development stopped before hatching. The remaining two eggs hatched successfully on the 25th day, as expected. Sadly, one of the two chicks died from pneumonia, but the other is growing well and will soon be molting into its adult plumage.

Copper Pheasant born this year is on display in the third cage from the right in Copper Pheasant enclosure. Please come and see this young Copper Pheasant, which can only be seen at this time of year.

Two-day-old chick	young bird

[Inokashira Park Zoo]

(September 6, 2022)