In a monumental achievement for wildlife conservation, scientists in Berlin have announced the world's first successful in-vitro fertilization (IVF) pregnancy in a white rhinoceros. This breakthrough offers a promising avenue to save the critically endangered northern white rhino subspecies from extinction.
The white rhinoceros is divided into two distinct subspecies: northern and southern. While the southern white rhinos remain relatively abundant, the northern population has plummeted to just two female members, both of whom are unable to carry a calf to term. The last male northern white rhino died in 2018, pushing the subspecies to the brink of extinction.
To combat this dire situation, the scientists employed IVF techniques, harvesting eggs from the remaining female northern white rhinos and using sperm from deceased males of the same subspecies to produce embryos. These embryos are then transferred to southern white rhino surrogate mothers, providing a lifeline for the northern subspecies.
As a proof of concept, the BioRescue team successfully transferred the embryo of a southern white rhino into a surrogate mother at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya on September 24, 2023. The international team, supported by the German government, confirmed a successful pregnancy of 70 days with a well-developed 6.4 cm (2.5 inch)-long male embryo.
\"We achieved together something which was not believed to be possible,\" said Thomas Hildebrandt, head of the reproduction management department at the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research. Speaking at a press conference in Berlin's Tierpark zoo, Hildebrandt emphasized the significance of the milestone, stating, \"That is really a milestone to allow us to produce northern white rhino calves in the next two, two and a half years.\"
The northern white rhinos, despite their name, are actually gray and once roamed freely across several countries in East and Central Africa. Their numbers have drastically decreased due to extensive poaching for their horns. The BioRescue consortium has been tirelessly working to save the subspecies, and this successful IVF pregnancy marks a pivotal moment in their efforts.
With the proof of concept now established, the team is poised to move forward with transferring northern white rhino embryos, bringing hope that this iconic species can be preserved for future generations.
Reference(s):
World's 1st white rhino IVF pregnancy may offer way to save subspecies
cgtn.com
