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One step closer to saving the northern white rhino
*February 17, 2022 - Biorescue creates two new embryos in the race against time to prevent the extinction of the northern white rhinoceros. *
Political instability and human demand for rhino horn led to increased poaching and the annihilation of this species. Today, there are just two northern white rhinos remaining in the world, Najin and Fatu - mother and daughter. They live on Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya and are protected by armed guards 24/7. We - humans - are responsible. However, there is hope. We have embarked on a ground-breaking program to save this species.
In two sets of procedures between October 2021 and February 2022, the BioRescue consortium created two new northern white rhino embryos, bringing the total to 14. Oocytes (egg cells) were collected from northern white rhino Fatu in October and January at Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Kenya, and were matured and inseminated at Avantea laboratory, Italy. The developed embryos were cryopreserved in November 2021 and February 2022, and await transfer to southern white rhino female surrogates in the foreseeable future.