Northern White Rhino On The Brink Of Extinction
There are only three females and one male Northern white rhinos left in the world and none have the ability to naturally reproduce. This has means that the species is quite literally on the brink of extinction and the only hope for the species to perpetuate itself is through in vitro fertilisation. Unfortunately this procedure has never been carried out successfully in the past, leaving scientists very worried.
GoFundMe campaign launched
Recently a GoFundMe campaign has been launched by the Ol Pejeta Conservancy which is East Africa’s largest black rhino sanctuary in combination with the Dvůr Králové Zoo in Czech Republic. The money raised will be used to finance the further development of IVF for the Northern white rhino which is seen as a last minute effort to save the species from extinction. It is estimated that the development, testing and implementation of an IVF technique and embryo transfer will cost somewhere in the region of US$800,000
“If the remaining females die before this method has been developed, one of the last chances to save the northern white rhinos will vanish,” the conservation partners stated.
Only one male left
The last Northern white male rhino in existence is named after his birthplace Sudan, but lives in the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, in Kenya. Sudan is now 42 years old which is very advanced for a rhino. This means the probability of him successfully reproducing with a female is close to nil.
In vitro fertilisation is the only hope
The only hope for the species to survive possible extinction is to develop assisted methods of reproduction which would enable new Northern white rhino calves to be born. The females that are left have reproductive issues as well, but it is hoped that IVF and an embryo transfer is still possible. Scientists are hoping to combine stored Northern white sperm with eggs from the remaining female that could be carried by surrogate Southern white rhino females. Experts say there is no guarantee the methods they employ will work. If they are successful however, the whole rhino sub species could be saved.
