<h5>How will IVF save the northern white rhino species?</h5><p>Scientists have made a crucial reproductive breakthrough in their work to save the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.newsahoot.com/articles/scientists-trying-to-save-northern-white-rhinos">northern white rhino</a>. Researchers have achieved the first rhino pregnancy in southern white rhinos using in vitro fertilisation (IVF). They successfully transfered southern white rhino embryos into surrogate mothers.</p><p>This means that if southern white rhino babies can be born through IVF, then the process may be successful for the northern white rhino embryos as well. A southern white rhino will be used as a replacement mother to birth a northern white rhino baby.</p><h5>Which organisation is behind the first rhino pregnancy through IVF?</h5><figure class="image"><img src="https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/newsahoot.appspot.com/o/ivf-pregnancy-may-save-rhino-species%2FRhino%20embryo.jpg?alt=media&amp;token=a5bca0f1-4a05-4f6a-bab4-efb6a8fc3438"><figcaption>The little rhino embryo. Photo by jonjuarez.photo.</figcaption></figure><p>A team of researchers from BioRescue, an organisation that works to stop extinctions, has conducted the first successful embryo transfers in southern white rhinos.</p><p>In September 2023, scientists at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya successfully transplanted two southern white rhino embryos into surrogates, resulting in a pregnancy. While this method has been used in humans, horses, and cows, it has never been applied in rhinos.</p><p>This gives hope that the northern white rhino species could be saved from extinction.</p><h5>So, what’s the next step now regarding northern white rhinos?</h5><p>Northern white rhinos were previously common throughout Central Africa. Sadly, unlawful poaching destroyed its population. Now, this species has only two female rhinos left. They are Najin and her daughter, Fatu. This species’ last male died in 2018. Najin and Fatu are both kept under high security at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya.</p><p>The scientists collected female northern white rhino eggs from Fatu and used sperm from now-dead male rhinos of the same species to create embryos in a lab. The embryos will be transplanted to southern white rhino surrogate mothers.</p><p>The team plans to do this within the next six months. The researchers say the two subspecies are quite similar in the way their pregnancy develops. If the plan is successful, the first northern white rhino since the year 2000 will be born.</p><p>Scientists think this method can also help other severely endangered rhinos, such as the Asian Javan rhinoceros and the Sumatran rhinoceros.</p>

Researchers from BioRescue are trying to save the Northern White Rhino from extinction.

IVF Pregnancy May Save Rhino Species

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IVF Pregnancy May Save Rhino Species

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