Northern white rhino is also called northern square-lipped rhinoceros. This species of animals were usually found grazing in grasslands and savanna woodlands. Across Northwestern Uganda, Kenya, South-South Sudan, Eastern, and Central Africa before they went on extinction. However, the northern white rhino according to some scientists is considered to be the sixth species of its kind. Although it is generally considered to be a subspecies of white rhino.
These species have gone on extinction not because they have many predators since they are large in size. But as a result of poaching for their horns, which are used for medicine in the traditional Chinese. More so, the last white rhino was C which lived at OI Pejeta conservancy in Kenya. Although, It was euthanized after suffering from age-related complications on March 9, 2018.
Reasons Why Kenya Vets Are Creating Embryo For Northern White Rhino Include;
Yes, for every action there is always a reason and it is most times aimed to provide a solution to problems.
Reasons for this embryo include;
- There are just two female northern white rhinos left in the world, hence there is a reason to conserve them. And also help them to reproduce their offspring.
- In other to methodically implant these embryos into the two remaining female white rhinos which have found refuge at OI Peteja Conservancy.
An Embryo And How It Functions
An embryo a multicellular organism still in its early stages. And it can be described to be present or found in organisms that reproduce sexually. That is the process where a sperm fuses with an ovum through the outer or inner part of the female animal leading to the development of an embryo. This embryonic development describes the life cycle that begins after fertilization and continues through the formation of body structures, such as tissues and organs, according to google.
How Keyan Vets Intends To Create An Embryo For The Northern White Rhinos
To every achievement, there is a process and this process is the how.
And according to Richard Vigne, managing director of OI Pejeta Conservancy; Efforts are being made to prevent a total extinction of these species from earth hence they have introduced in vitro fertilization (IVF).
“More so, attempts have been made to remove eggs from southern white female rhinos in the zoo. Although this attempt has been successful and an attempt would be made to fertilize the northern white rhinos. However, it is hoped that the ovum in the two female northern white rhinos would pick up” according to xinhuanet.
For this process to be accomplished, it is required that the eggs in the ovaries of the two female rhinos be removed. it is after this removal that fertilization can occur through the use of semen stored over the last few years. This male semen ( reproductive fluid) was stored in order to create mature embryos. After this, a technique would be used to reintroduce the embryo into a surrogate southern female rhino. This is aimed to achieve pure-bred northern white offsprings since the two available females are infertile.
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