![]() They are large, somewhat intractable animals, bigger than horse and difficult to manipulate, and ART has never been completely successful in this species 1. Using this technology, the NWR faces some unique challenges there are only two surviving NWRs and both are infertile. The rhinoceros and horse share a common ancestor 6, therefore, assisted reproduction techniques (ART) developed in equines 7, 8 can potentially be translated to rhinoceros species, including the Southern White Rhinoceros (SWR, Ceratotherium simum simum), a closely related sub-species now not at risk of extinction 9. A holistic strategy combining all three steps would help to maximize genetic diversity in the NWR by providing cryo-banked spermatozoa and somatic cells of several NWR individuals 5. ES cells are the best source for producing primordial germ cells and also represent the “gold standard” for assessing artificial gametes derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) 4. ![]() Beyond applying this classical ART approach, it would be critical to generate artificial gametes. Our results suggest that ART might offer an option for rescuing genes from the NWR, an essential first step in saving this nearly extinct rhinoceros sub-species. There has been no report of the production of rhinoceros embryo from fertilization to the pre-implantation stage 2, 3. To date only one study related to ovum pick up and embryos production in rhinoceros has been reported 1. Since 2007, there has been a sharp increase in poaching activity and illegal trade of rhino horns, to the extent that many subspecies of rhinos have been declared extinct and the entire rhino population is listed as ‘endangered’.Conventional approaches toward establishing a self-sustaining NWR population over the last two decades have been repeatedly unsuccessful. Rhino horns are also integral to traditional medicine in many parts of Asia, with people believing it has mystical powers. Hunting, and now, poaching and habitat loss, have drastically reduced the number of rhinos across the world. Unfortunately, these once-abundant creatures have lost out to human activity. So popular is this tale that it even featured in a popular 1980 South-African movie named “The Gods Must Be Crazy.” According to these stories, rhinos appeared every time a fire was lit in the forest and would stamp out the flames. Rhinos have also featured in many Asian and African legends - they are the fire-stamping heroes in many stories from Burma, India, and Malaysia. However, the American rhinos went extinct sometime between 5.4 and 2.4 million years ago. Over time, these rhino ancestors roamed the continents, primarily living in Eurasia (Europe and Asia combined) and North America. These rhinos only lived in Asia initially but began traveling to other places around 25 million years ago. These plant-eaters lived alongside the wooly mammoths, and have been found fossilized in ice and in cave paintings made during that period. This species inhabited a large area, from Siberia to the British Isles. Of these, the wooly rhinoceros was one of the largest subspecies, weighing in at almost four times the size of the average African elephant, and boasting one-meter-long horns. The last, most direct ancestors to the modern rhinoceros appeared approximately 25 million years ago and had multiple sub-species in their families. One of these was called the ‘running rhino,’ which was adapted for speed.Īnother was more aquatic and resembled today’s hippopotamus. ![]() Over these years, there were three distinct species that scientists think might be the ancestors of today’s rhinos. ![]() Old rhino bones found from this period in North America show a gradual evolution from this old horse-like structure into one more aligned with today’s rhino. They were more horse-like in structure and had no horns. That’s when the first ancestors of the modern Rhinos roamed the planet. To trace the origins of the Rhinoceros, we’d have to go back some millennia - almost 56 million years ago, to be precise. ![]()
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