Conservationists and animal lovers around the world were saddened to hear of the death of the last male White Rhino. Poached for their horns, the subspecies is functionally extinct with just two females still alive.
But it’s not all doom and gloom, the northern white rhino could have another shot at defying extinction thanks to in-vitro fertilisation (IVF). According to a BBC report, scientists have been developing an IVF technique that will save species like the White Rhino from the brink of extinction. During the IVF procedure, sperm from a male donor is stored, while the female eggs are harvested. This procedure will ensure that generations of the White Rhino will be preserved through artificial insemination with the last two remaining female White Rhinos who will carry the pregnancy.
However, at this time techniques for the procedure have yet to be perfected, and applying it may be difficult. What is important, is that the two remaining Rhinos continue to live to preserve this unique subspecies. Read full article here.