The last male northern whiterhinodied at a conservancy in Kenya in the beginning this year , prompting fears that the race was finally done for after decade of sullen poaching . Scientists say there ’s still hope , though , and they ’re banking on a pregnant rhino named Victoria at the San Diego Zoo , according to theAssociated Press .
Victoria is actually a southerly white rhino , but the two race are related . Only two northerly lily-white rhinos survive , but neither of thefemales in Kenyaare able-bodied to reproduce . Victoria was successfully impregnated through artificial insemination , and if she successfully carries her calf to term in 16 to 18 months , scientists say she might be able-bodied to serve as a foster female parent and propagate the northerly white rhino species .
But how would that work if no male northern white rhinoceros exist ? As the AP explains , scientist are working to revivify northern white rhino embryos using genetic engineering science . The San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research has the stock-still cell line of merchandise of 12 dissimilar northerly white rhinos , which can be transform into stem cells — and ultimately , sperm and eggs . The sperm cell of the last northern snowy male person rhinoceros , Sudan , was alsosavedbefore he perish .
Scientists have been monitoring six female southerly bloodless rhinos at the San Diego Zoo to see if any emerge as likely candidate for surrogacy . However , it ’s not easy to artificially inseminate a rhinoceros , and there have been few successful parentage in the past . There ’s still a fighting prospect , though , and scientists in the end hope they ’ll be able to establish up a ruck of five to 15 northern white rhinos over the next few decades .
[ h / tTime Magazine ]
