As the last resort to ensuring the survival of the world’s most endangered mammal, the northern white rhino, the veterinary experts have confirmed that they can do artificial methods of reproduction if the rhinos are not giving birth naturally. Today, 3 of the world’s last remaining five are in Kenya.
After the death of Nanyuki, in October which was the last fertile northern white male in Ol Pejeta Conservancy, experts from the Dvur Kralove Zoo in the Czech Republic specifically from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research in Germany together with the Kenya Wildlife Service representatives met in Laikipia to carry out health checks on the remaining three rhinos.
Dvur Kralove Zoo was home to rhinos Najin, Fatu, Suni and Sudan before 2009 when they decided to transfer them to Ol Pejeta Conservancy, hoping that natural conditions would be more conducive to reproduction.
Richard Vigne who is the CEO of Ol Pejeta conservancy said that there have been various copulations between the northern whites and even a mating between a southern white male and one of the northern white females but there have been no fruitful results. Examinations have been done on two females rhinos and showed that neither of them is capable of natural reproduction which is why artificial method is considered. Hopefully, this will help in the struggle to increase on the rhinos for the good of the tourism business.
