The two remaining specimens of the northern white rhino are female, but a new horizon opens for them through genetic efforts.
Najin and Fatu live in Kenya. They two are the only two specimens left of northern white rhinoceros, and they are female. After Sudan’s death, the last remaining male of the species, both were left without the possibility of repopulating the planet in a natural way. At that time, international conservation efforts for the species entered a critical point.
Following Sudan’s departure, various biologists around the world began to search for alternatives to restore hope for the survival of the species, diminished until its functional extinction by the illegal poaching. The alternatives, although precarious, have been expanded: in vitro fertilization can be a real option so that the two females are not left alone.
A hope for the northern white rhino
He international consortium of scientists and conservationists works to prevent the extinction of the northern white rhino. With this commitment, they have developed assisted reproductive techniques during years. Finally, their efforts came to fruition on Christmas Day 2020, when they managed to produce two new embryos of this species.
The second week of December, the team from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW), in collaboration with other institutions dedicated to conservation, achieved a successful oocyte collection in Kenya. The cells were transported on a transcontinental journey, in order to generate two embryos in the Avantea laboratory in the Italian city of Cremona.
It wasn’t until a couple of days after being inseminated that the news came out: the embryos reached the blast state. This means that they are already suitable for freezing, increasing the total embryos available at 5. Even despite the delays that the Covid-19 pandemic has produced, this event considerably increases hope for Najin and Fatu, who could get pregnant soon.
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What will happen to Najin and Fatu?
As the last two remaining female northern white rhinoceros, Najin and Fatu wait in Kenya the arrival of blasts. The plan is to collect your immature eggs for artificially inseminate them, and thus, be one step closer to preventing the species from disappearing from the face of the Earth. The sperm to be used in the process were collected from deceased males, so embryos are a viable possibility.
Currently, the embryos are stored in liquid nitrogen. The egg collection process has proven to be effective, and it is intended to be carried out with a periodicity of 3 to 4 months between each feeding. Unfortunately, this has not been the case for Najin, Fatu’s mother, as she is an older animal: she is 31 years old, and has a tumor in her abdomen that could hinder a conception process.
However, for the moment not found to cause problems important health. The latent danger is in the functionality of your reproductive organs, which are key to the success of the project. Meanwhile, Kenyan and international scientists work together to ensure that both Najin and Fatu are safe, healthy and in good condition, considering the ethical risks that each procedure entails.
Keep reading:
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