Scientists harvest eggs from last two northern white rhinos in hopes of saving the species

In a groundbreaking procedure, a team of international scientists harvested ten eggs from the last two remaining northern white rhinoceroses and the move sparks hope of pulling back the species from the brink of extinction. 

Scientists at Kenya's Ol Pejeta Conservancy have harvested two eggs from 31-year-old Najin and eight eggs from 20-year-old Fatu. As neither of the mother and daughter duo can carry a calf to term, scientists want to implant the embryos into the related subspecies of southern white rhinos.

In a tweet on August 18, Ol Pejeta informed that procedure went according to plan and the eggs are en route Italy to be fertilised with sperm (frozen) from a northern white rhino male. Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Tourism Najib Balala also took to Twitter to laud the efforts and posted pictures of the conservation project with #SaveNorthernWhiteRhino

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Saving Sudan's Legacy

The last male northern white rhino died at Ol Pejeta in 2018, leaving the species practically extinct. The 45-year-old Sudan was euthanized after a spell of deteriorating health. However, genetic material was saved in hopes of artificially inseminating the remaining females to save the species from going extinct.

Earlier, in 2019 scientists had harvested eggs from Fatu and Najin in two separate attempts and were able to make embryos using frozen semen. The fertilized eggs are being stored in liquid nitrogen and will soon be transferred to surrogate southern white rhinos females. 

Here's a last look at Sudan:

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