Don't Litter – Animal Contreception and Zoos

Animal contraceptives are increasingly being used to manage wild populations.

Etosha has had two troubled pregnancies. Her first baby was breached and stillborn. The second was delivered by a dangerous cesarean section. A combination of skill and sheer luck helped her survive the delivery, but the procedure was harrowing enough that her doctor considered putting Etosha on hormonal birth control to prevent additional pregnancies.

It would have been a perfectly routine decision for millions of women. But Etosha is not a woman—she's a South African lion at the San Diego Zoo.