The team hopes to be able to deliver its first northern white rhino calf in three years and a wider population in the next two decades. Subscribe for our daily curated newsletter to receive the latest exclusive Reuters coverage delivered to your inbox. More from Reuters. Numbers of Javan rhinos have increased during the last few years, thanks to the expansion of the habitat available for them into neighbouring Gunung Honje National Park.
There are now only less than 80 Sumatran rhinos left in the wild, and efforts are now being invested in captive breeding in an attempt to boost the population. Historically, poaching had depleted the population but their biggest threat today is habitat loss — including forest destruction for palm oil and paper pulp — and increasingly, small, fragmented populations failing to breed. Thanks to the persistent efforts of conservation programmes across Africa, black rhino numbers have risen since then to a current population of between 5, and 5, individuals.
Importantly, their geographic range has also increased, with successful reintroduction programmes repopulating areas that had previously seen native black rhinos. Greater one-horned rhinos have made a startling comeback from the brink of extinction. Mating occurs throughout the year, although peaks have been observed from October to December in South Africa and from February to June in East Africa. The gestation period is approximately 16 months with a period of years between calves.
White rhinos are the only grazer among the five rhino species, feeding almost exclusively on short grasses. They primarily inhabit grassy savanna and woodlands interspersed with grassy clearings. The ainmals tend to avoid the heat during the day, when they rest in the shade. They are usually active in the early morning, late afternoon and evening. During very hot periods, the cool and rid themselves of external parasites by bathing in mud in shallow pools.
Ceratotherium simum. Key Facts. Common name Common Names. Latin name Scientific Name Ceratotherium simum. Not Endangered Status Near Threatened. Did you know? Distribution Northern white rhinos and southern white rhinos are genetically distinct subspecies and were found in different regions in Africa. Once common across southern Africa, southern white rhinos were thought to be extinct in the late 19th century, but in a small population of less than individuals was discovered in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa.
After more than a century of successful protection and management, they are now classified as Near Threatened and over 20, animals exist in protected areas and private game reserves.
The majority But Dr Galli says there is still so much they don't know about the reproductive system of rhinos. Attempts in the past to put embryos in southern white rhinos in zoos have failed. One of the things the scientists are struggling to work out is the timing to implant the embryo.
They need to know exactly when the body is best ready for it to attach to the uterus lining. In women, the menstrual cycle determines when to implant an embryo.
But not all animals have menstrual cycles - some animals, including cats, release their eggs when they mate. If this is also true for rhinos then it is possible to use sexual intercourse as an indicator, Dr Galli explains. In other words, it may be possible that the scientists increase the chances of the surrogate carrying the pregnancy through to birth if they implant the embryo after she has had sex.
This hunch has led them to set the scene for the next stage in their elaborate plan. Four wild female southern white rhinos have been enclosed with their offspring in their natural habitat not far from the last two remaining northern white rhinos. The next step is to put a sterilised southern white rhino in with the females - and would-be surrogates.
That's the dream," says Dr Ngulu. Unlike Najin and Fatu, they are wild so they can be hard to track down in the sprawling enclosure. When we found them, on the second day of searching, I couldn't help but think that these rhinos do not know it yet, but one of them may save a species from extinction. Could legalising horn trade save rhinos?
The daring investigator who took on the ivory poachers. Africa Today podcasts. Ol Pejeta Conservancy. Image source, Getty Images. Najin is one of two northern white rhinos left in the world. Precious sperm. Image source, Elodie Sampere. However, these insemination attempts failed. Image source, Ami Vitale.
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