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Scientists and conservationists have created a third embryo, reviving hopes of saving the Northern white rhinos from extinction.

 The milestone comes four months after the ground-breaking first “ovum pickup” in August, and repeated with Northern white rhinos Najin and Fatu on December 17 at Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia county.

Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala has termed the development a big win for Kenya and its partners, as the species faces the threat of imminent extinction. 

He said there are only two Northern female white rhinos; Najin and Fatu, in the whole world and hosted by Kenya.

 “We are glad that the Northern white rhino in-vitro fertilisation project by a consortium of scientists and conservationists collaborative partnership has been able to successfully produce three pure embryos ready for implantation into southern white rhino as surrogate mothers in coming months,” he said.

The consortium of scientists and conservationists are from Kenya, Czech Republic, Germany and Italy.

 “I urge the scientists to continue digging deeper into technology and innovations to ensure that not only this concerned species does not go extinct, but other species that are faced with similar threats,” he said.

 He said Kenya is at the centre of this scientific breakthrough which makes the country proud and it’s amazing to see that its possible to reverse the tragic loss of this subspecies through science.

 Ol Pejeta Conservancy managing director Richard Vigne said the country has taken yet another small step along the road of saving the Northern white rhino from extinction.  

 “We have a long way to go and success is far from assured, but Kenya continues to play her part at the centre of a multi-national collaboration to save this species. 

Let us hope for news of a successful Northern white rhino pregnancy in the not too distant future,” he said.

Surrogate mother 

 “Having produced another embryo again from Fatu and none from Najin indicates that we cannot waste more time as aging of the animals is not a favourable condition,” Cesare Galli, Director, Avantea.

 The animals were placed under general anaesthetic and nine immature egg cells (oocytes)—three from Najin and six from Fatu—were harvested from the animals’ ovaries using a probe guided by ultrasound. 

 In December 2019, the team also transported the semen of Sudan, the last Northern white rhino male that died in March 2018, from Kenya to Germany. The aim is to use it in future for production of more embryos.