In an unprecedented leap for conservation science, researchers have successfully achieved the world’s first IVF pregnancy in a rhino, offering real hope for the near-extinct northern white rhinoceros. With only two females remaining—Najin and her daughter Fatu, both unable to carry pregnancies—this breakthrough may be the last lifeline for the species.

The embryo transfer was done using southern white rhinos, close relatives of the northern whites. After 13 failed attempts, scientists finally succeeded in implanting a lab-created embryo into a surrogate, who became pregnant—an immense scientific triumph. Tragically, the surrogate later died from an unrelated bacterial infection, but the foetus was healthy and developing well, proving the technique works.

The next step is monumental: using one of 30 preserved northern white embryos created from Fatu’s eggs and sperm from now-deceased males, the team plans to implant these into southern white surrogates. If successful, this would mark the first birth of a northern white rhino in years, giving the species a fighting chance.

With conservationists also exploring stem-cell reproduction, this is a landmark effort not only to reverse human-caused extinction—but to do so ethically, responsibly, and with deep scientific care.