Australia is facing its greatest ecological challenge to prevent a complete collapse of its ecosystems. The loss of biodiversity has reached critical proportions with depletion of our forests, wetlands and rivers – the natural habitats for our animals or birds and fish.

Australia has the technology and expertise to achieve our conservation goals but we need to encourage commitment from more Australians. The AGSRCA is committed to this cause and we offer our technology, expertise and resources in this endeavor.

Dr Ian M Gunn, BVSc., FACVSc. Project Director AGSRCA.
Senior Research Fellow Monash Institute Reproduction and Development Monash University.

Dr Ian M Gunn, initiated the establishment of the AGSRCA in 1995 and has been the Project Director since that time. Dr Gunn is a veterinarian with a vast amount of experience throughout Australia, and in addition, he has extensive international experience in Asia, Africa, and Europe. He is a Senior Research Fellow at the Monash Institute of Reproduction and Development (MIRD) at Monash University.

Dr Gunn is committed to the preservation of Australia’s wildlife and its environment. Amongst his membership in many community conservation groups, Dr Gunn is a judge with the Banksia Environmental Foundation.

• expand knowledge of the reproductive cycle of target species

• develop procedures to collect, process, and save the reproductive resources (semen, embryos, oocytes, tissues) of these species

• use recently developed reproductive techniques to assist the breeding of both captive and wild populations of threatened wildlife species. The genetic resources are collected, processed and stored in frozen reserves in our gene bank

• offer graduate students opportunities for post-graduate research projects and wildlife reproductive biology

• offer a community education program to highlight the value and benefits that science can offer for the conservation of wildlife and the protection of the environment.

Now we are able to save tissues and cells and in the future we expect to be successful in using these resources to breed offspring. Where species have been lost, it may be possible to recreate these species by using new scientific technology combined with commonly related animal species which act as host incubators.

SPONSORS

The AGSRCA wishes to acknowledge the contribution made by the following companies and granting bodies over the last ten years who have greatly assisted us to fulfil our wildlife conservation goals:

• Norwood Abbey
• The RE Ross Trust
• The Holsworth Wildlife Trust
• The Australia Pacific Science Foundation
• BHP Billiton
• Sigma
• Department of Sustainability and Environment
• Whatman
• Crown Scientific
• Royal Melbourne Zoological Gardens
• Australian Research Council
• Monash Institute of Reproduction and Development
• Department of Physiology, Monash University.
• Rural Industry Research and Development Corporation
• Zoological Parks Board of NSW
• Monash University
• International Rhino Foundation
• Hermon Slade Foundation
• L Gadsden
• Royal Guide Dogs Association of Australia
• Sidney Myer Foundation
• Winifred Violet Scott Foundation
• BOC Gases Australia Ltd
• The Australian Geographic Pty Ltd
• CRA Pty Ltd
• Western Mining Ltd
• The Australian Alpaca Association
• AMCOR Ltd
• Rosemary Oakes
• Judy Sheldrake
• V M White (Peg)
• Clemenger Melbourne
• Diagnostic Systems Laboratories Inc.
• Cook Australia
• Clinical Diagnostics
• Rare Breeds of Australia.