Breakthrough Could Revive Northern White Rhinos; Only Two Currently Remain

Scientists have successfully completed the world’s first in vitro fertilisation (IVF) rhino pregnancy, a significant step towards saving the northern white rhino species from extinction. The last remaining two northern white rhinos are both female and live under heavy guard in Kenya’s Ol Pejeta Conservancy. The IVF experiment involved transferring a lab-created rhino embryo into a surrogate southern white rhino mother. Despite the surrogate mother dying from a fatal bacteria found in soil, the experiment proved the IVF technique can work in rhinos. Scientists now plan to repeat the process with northern white embryos, with hopes that a calf will be born while the two remaining northern white rhinos are still alive.