The AM/DM podcast: The birds and the bees, tigers and chimpanzees
Beth Roberts, head of the Memphis Zoo’s breeding program, gets ready to open up the “frozen zoo,” which is full of valuable cryogenically preserved embryos. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)
When you think of a pregnancy test, you might picture something small, plastic and available at a corner drug store.
And that does work, surprisingly, for some animals at the Memphis Zoo. But, for others, zookeepers use methods that are more time-consuming, more laborious and much smellier.
To help animals reproduce — and species thrive — staffers at the Memphis Zoo study poop, freeze sperm at -196 degrees, and even help endangered species reproduce long after their deaths.
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Topics
AM/DMMary Cashiola
Mary Cashiola has been a Memphis journalist for nearly two decades, beginning her career covering city government and local neighborhoods at the Memphis Flyer before being hired by Memphis Mayor A C Wharton’s administration.
Before joining The Daily Memphian, she was the managing editor of the Memphis Business Journal, which was named one of the top 10 Best Designed Newspapers in the world by the Society of News Design while she was there.
She also has a background in advertising, with a focus on higher education and the hospitality industry.
Want to comment on our stories or respond to others? Join the conversation by subscribing now. Only paid subscribers can add their thoughts or upvote/downvote comments. Our commenting policy can be viewed here.