By KPC Reporter
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), in partnership with the international BioRescue consortium, has announced a major breakthrough in efforts to rescue the northern white rhino (NWR) from extinction.
The initiative, which began in 2019, is now at a pivotal stage, with scientists optimistic that a confirmed pregnancy using NWR embryos could be announced soon.
Following the death of the last male NWR, Sudan, in 2018, only two females; Najin and her daughter Fatu remain.
Both are housed at Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia.
The BioRescue team is employing Assisted Reproduction Techniques (ART) to create viable embryos using oocytes harvested from the two females and cryopreserved sperm from deceased males.
The process involves airlifting the eggs to the Avantea laboratory in Cremona, Italy, within a 24-hour window for maturation and fertilization.
The resulting embryos are then cryopreserved and prepared for transfer into Southern White Rhino (SWR) surrogates.
A successful pregnancy using a SWR embryo has already been achieved, proving the viability of the technique.
“We are now at the critical stage of getting a pregnancy using northern white rhino embryos,” said Prof. Erustus Kanga, Director General of KWS.
“Every step, from oocyte collection in Kenya to fertilization in Italy and return for implantation, is executed with military precision by a dedicated team of experts.”
The BioRescue project builds on decades of conservation work, including the 2009 relocation of four fertile NWRs from Zoo Dvůr Králové in the Czech Republic to Kenya. With the loss of males Sudan and Suni, the future of the species now rests entirely on science and the resilience of Najin and Fatu.
KWS emphasized that the mission is not only a national responsibility but a global one.
If successful, the embryo transfer will mark a historic milestone in wildlife conservation and reaffirm Kenya’s leadership in innovative ecological stewardship.