Some researchers have argued that the northern white rhino should be considered a separate species. War, habitat loss and poaching for rhino horn have decimated populations, and by 2008 researchers could no longer locate northern white rhinos in the wild. While banked northern white rhino sperm is available from several males not related to Najin and Fatu, neither female is able to carry a pregnancy to term. Encouraged by those findings, rhino researchers have so far succeeded in reprogramming stored skin cells from five northern white rhinos into specialized stem cells. “It may be too late for the northern white rhinos, but we still have time to save all the other species,” Ms. Dean said.

Source: New York Times March 20, 2018 15:00 UTC