The promotional event will occur in Berlin. - Scientists aim to protect endangered rhino variants in zoos.
There are only two female Northern White Rhinos left in the world, but there's a possibility that new calves of this species could be born in Berlin. The Berlin Zoo is building a research station with a new, three-hectare rhino enclosure, as announced on Wednesday. The plan is to host Northern White Rhinos from surrogate mothers of the closely related and less endangered Southern White Rhinos. However, it might take years for this to happen.
Construction of the rhino enclosure is set to begin in the fall and is expected to cost around five million euros. The Senate Department for Finance is said to be supporting the project with three million euros. By 2026, up to six adult Southern White Rhinos will be moved to the new site in the Berlin Zoo, which will come from other zoos in Europe.
Already frozen embryos are available for the project. Scientists have stored the sperm of male specimens of the endangered species and fertilized the eggs of a younger, still living female. But it may still take some time before an embryo is successfully implanted.
The Northern White Rhino is considered the rarest large mammal on Earth. The last two specimens are the two infertile females Najin and her daughter Fatu, who are 23 and 33 years old and live in Kenya. They were born in a Czech zoo, where a similar rhino enclosure is being built in parallel to the project in Berlin.
Researchers are hopeful that they can save the rare rhino species through this method: "We're confident that small rhinos will see the light of day through this method," said project leader Thomas Hildebrandt. This is also important for other animal species: "If we manage to save this rhino species from extinction, this will benefit hundreds of other species directly and indirectly."
In January, the international scientists and researchers achieved an important milestone. They were able to make an embryo of the Southern White Rhino at least temporarily grow in a surrogate mother.
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The Berlin Zoo's new research station is aimed at hosting Northern White Rhinos, as a potential solution lies in surrogate mothers of the Southern White Rhinos. Despite the current residence of the last two Northern White Rhinos in Kenya, the hope is that research in Berlin could lead to the birth of new calves. Kenyan authorities have also expressed interest in collaborating with Berlin's zoo for the conservation of endangered rhino species.
