The Rhino Fertility Project

Wednesday 6th Dec 2023, 9.15am

When the last male northern white rhino, Sudan, died in 2018, it seemed that the subspecies was destined for extinction. But a team of researchers and conservationists are using cutting-edge technology to try to save the subspecies.

Professor Suzannah Williams, from the Nuffield Department of Women’s and Reproductive Health, shares the unusual angle her research into ovarian dysfunction took after discovering the condition was common in captive rhinos. By using ovarian tissues from female rhinos, researchers are working to generate eggs in the lab to provide a unique pathway that could help save the northern white rhino and other species at risk of extinction.

Watch our video to find out more about Oxford’s Rhino Fertility project.