Name JoGayle Howard | ||
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Leopard lifesaver smithsonian scientist jogayle howard
JoGayle Howard (1951–2011) was an American zoologist specializing in the captive breeding of endangered species such as pandas, clouded leopards and black-footed ferrets.
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Personal life
Howard was born on May 20, 1951 in Dallas, Texas. She died from cancer on March 5, 2011 in Washington D.C.
Education
She graduated with a doctorate in veterinary medicine from Texas A & M in 1980. She earned a PhD in reproductive physiology from University of Maryland in 1989.
Work
She worked at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Washington, D.C. She was a well known zoologist and was nicknamed the "sperm Queen", because of her skills in helping endangered species like pandas and clouded leopards breed in captivity. Originally a veterinarian, Howard's expert knowledge about animal biology helped make her a leader in animal breeding. She used clinical skills to begin the use of common human infertility treatments, like artificial insemination and In vitro fertilisation.
With the help of JoGayle Howard the black-footed ferret breeding program which she overlooked at The National Zoo thrived, with her aid more than 670 kittens were born and 139 artificial inseminations. Her main goal behind artificial insemination and In vitro fertilisation is to be able to preserve animal species that are on the verge of being extinct such as the clouded leopard. She received multiple awards from her success of bringing wildlife together such as the Research Career Award (SERCA) from the National Institutes of Health, the Ulysses S. Seal Conservation Award, the Distinguished Research and Scientist Award, and the Recovery Champion Award.