Kissing bug takes blood sample from cheetah

In South America, kissing bugs are known for carrying a parasite that causes Chagas disease or sleeping sickness.

However, scientist have managed to breed kissing bugs that do not carry the parasite. And these insects do have one advantage: they suck blood.

The zoo keepers at Ree Park - Ebeltoft Safari in Denmark have found a way to take advantage of this. They use kissing bugs to collect blood samples from cheetahs. Normally, taking a blood sample from a cheetah would include anesthesia, but with this innovative technique, it isn't necessary. And this spares the cheetah the risk of cramps and other complications that in some cases could result in death.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• Kissing
• bug
• takes
• blood
• sample
• cheetah
• wild
• animals
• cheetahs
• zoo
• zoos
• safari
• wildlife
• endangered
• EEP
• EAZA
• Africa
• science
• zoology
• biologi
• insects
• interesting
• innovation

[scottyphoto]

Do you get enough of a sample from one bug?  Also, Does extracting the blood kill the bug?

[reeparkvideo]

You get 1-2 mililiters from the bug so it is sufficient. And the extraction is done with care so the bug can live afterwards.

[jlbass86]

Question! since you are using another organism to get a blood sample, wouldn't that contaminate the sample?!

[reeparkvideo]

@jlbass86 The blood stays clean for up to 2 hours after consumption, so there is plenty of time to extract it for analysis.

[spek888]

man arent cheetahs scuh graceful creatures

[CDOGSKIVER]

FUCK THIS!

[jennipeterson1]

very cool. i'm surprised you don't use gloves.

[TheEvilAvacado]

this is definitely a scandinavian language probably danish or norwegian

[fastfoxeddy]

they do the same thing in Dublin Zoo, check out the clips on zootvseries's youtube channel, they're amazing creatures!

[APW84]

he is from denmark! not german

[PoisonousFish13D]

speak ingles damnit.

[TheBeatlesRUL3]

I believe this is german