Kenya's efforts to save northern white rhino from extinction resumes amid COVID-19 pandemic

An international team of scientists and conservationists harvest eggs from the last remaining two of the northern white rhinos at Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia County, Kenya, August 18, 2020. (Xinhua/Fred Mutune)

Kenya's wildlife ministrysaysefforts to save the northern white rhino from extinction have resumed after a few months' hiatus owing to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

NAIROBI, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's wildlife ministry said on Tuesday that efforts to save the northern white rhino from extinction have resumed after a few months' hiatus owing to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Najib Balala, cabinet secretary, Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, said that an international team of scientists and conservationists have harvested ten eggs from the last remaining two individuals, Najin and Fatu, in the third-ever ovum pick-up procedure among the northern white rhinos.

"The progress made so far in the northern white rhino assisted reproduction project is very encouraging, and we look forward to the transfer of the already developed embryos into southern white rhino surrogate females here at Ol Pejeta Conservancy. This project should galvanize the world's attention to the plight of endangered species and make us avoid actions that undermine law enforcement and fuel demand for the rhino horn," Balala said in a statement.

Northern white rhino rescue procedure is being conducted by BioRescue, the international consortium consisting of the German Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) and Czech Safari Park Dvur Kralove.

According to the consortium, the COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted the project and its partners due to the travel restrictions and contact prohibitions that are preventing work from taking place in European zoos and Ol Pejeta Conservancy.

"In various ways, the current crisis poses an unprecedented threat to wildlife conservation. It is the hope and the will of all partners of the northern white rhino rescue program to continue its mission against all odds. Since the northern white rhino offspring that will hopefully arise from the program shall grow up in the company of Najin and Fatu and Najin is approaching old age, there is no more time to be lost," the scientists said.

The partners of the project observed that preparations for the next steps of the mission are underway simultaneously to the generation of embryos.

"The plan is to select a group of southern white rhinos at Ol Pejeta Conservancy from which a female could serve as surrogate mother for the northern white rhino embryo," they said.