The Northern White Rhino can be Saved

          One of the last surviving northern white rhinos died last month which leaves the entire species at a population of five. However, with the help of modern technology, we may be able to bring this species back to its former glory. Scientists have been experimenting on a potential way of cloning an animal, or come close to cloning, by reprogramming skin cells of the surviving rhinos to function as a sperm and an egg cell and then put in a host until it is ready to be born.
          There are five northern white rhinos left on the planet all of which are scattered across the globe, one being in San Diego, another being in the Czech Republic, and the last three being in Kenya. Sadly, they are impossible to reproduce because the only surviving male of the species is 43 years old, and since they only live to be 40 to 50 years old he is far to old to reproduce. On the other hand, cloning is a recent option that may be able to save this species, but since it is still in development, it may be unsuccessful as well. The process is quite simple in theory, but much more complex in the lab.

1. Isolate skin cells from a northern white rhino.
2.  Add special genes to this isolated skin cell to reprogram the cells.
3.  After a few weeks, pluripotent stem cells will form.
4. These stem cells can then be changed into sperm.
5. The sperm is then  fertilizes a harvested egg or to an egg that was created by using the same process that was used to create the sperm.
6. Lastly, the egg that has been fertilized turns into an embryo if all the following steps work properly. It would then be implanted into another rhinoceros of a different, but related species, preferably the southern white rhino.

          Another option is a frozen zoo, which is something the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research is in the process of making. The frozen zoo, or what has been built so far, is made up of a bank of genetic material of thousands of animals that can be used to later save a species. The plan is to artificially inseminate one of the surviving females of the species, which is possible because two females are still young enough to give birth at ages 25 and 14. Then we just wait for the magic to happen and about 2 to 2.5 years later a new northern white rhino will be born into this world. However, if we wait to long and the 2 remaining females die or get to old, then this method will become obsolete for this certain situation.
          Modern technology is at the point where we can now artificially save endangered species, or at least close to being able to save endangered species. There are two possible methods of doing this as well, so if one doesn't work there is a plan B. One of the methods is a frozen zoo, which is most likely the plan A because it is simpler but must be done soon or else it will be ineffective. The other is cloning, which is probably the plan B because it is a lot more complex and will take longer to develop that a frozen zoo. This new technology could potentially save thousands of species, which makes it that much more remarkable as well as that much more important to develop.