This archive report was first published on 12 September 2019.
Published on September 12, 2019, a breakthrough in assisted reproduction has brought renewed hope for the survival of the northern white rhino, a species on the brink of extinction.
Scientists in Italy have successfully developed viable embryos from eggs collected from the last two northern white rhinos, Najin and Fatu, and frozen sperm from deceased males.
The embryos, which were cryopreserved for future transfer, were developed through Intra Cytoplasm Sperm Injection (ICSI) with frozen sperm from two different northern white rhino bulls, Suni and Saut.
"After 10 days of incubation, two of Fatu's eggs have developed into viable embryos that have been cryopreserved for future transfer," the Kenya Wildlife Service said in a statement.
Researchers from Kenya, Italy, the Czech Republic, and Germany are now closely monitoring the implantation procedure before the embryos are transferred into a surrogate mother.
The team is hopeful that a northern white rhino calf can be born via surrogacy within the next three years, bringing a new lease of life to the species.
