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The Last Northern White Rhinos And The Tech That Could Save Their Kind

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  Published in Science and Technology on Tuesday, October 14th 2025 at 4:14 GMT by Forbes
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The northern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum cottoni) has long been a symbol of the fragility of large‑mammal conservation. Once numbering more than 5,000 individuals across East Africa, the species has collapsed to just two known live animals – a single female, Najin, and a male, Suni, who died in 2020 – and is now extinct in the wild. The Forbes story “The Last Northern White Rhinos and the Tech That Could Save Their Kind” (https://www.forbes.com/sites/tonybradley/2025/08/22/the-last-northern-white-rhinos-and-the-tech-that-could-save-their-kind/) lays out the modern scientific and technological avenues that could bring the species back from the brink, weaving together field work, genetic engineering, and international cooperation.

The Last of the Northern White Rhinos

The article opens with a stark portrait of Najin, the sole surviving northern white rhino, living in a secure enclosure at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya. It details her history – born in 2001, transferred from the U.S. to Kenya, and now monitored daily with GPS collars and satellite imagery (https://www.rhinofoundation.org/). The narrative sets the tone for the urgency of the situation, noting that without a male partner and viable genetics, reproduction is impossible.

The Genetic Legacy

One of the cornerstone insights of the piece is that scientists have preserved ample DNA samples from the now‑dead male, Suni, as well as from other northern white rhinos captured before their extinction. Researchers at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History (https://www.si.edu/) have sequenced the entire Suni genome, revealing a surprisingly high level of genetic diversity relative to the southern white rhino (Ceratotherium simum simum), which is the only other white rhino subspecies still extant.

With the genomic data in hand, the article describes a three‑pronged approach: (1) selective breeding of southern white rhinos that match Suni’s genetic profile; (2) genome editing to insert northern‑white‑specific alleles; and (3) somatic cell nuclear transfer (cloning) using preserved sperm or eggs. The piece stresses that the combination of these techniques could produce a viable northern white rhino embryo without the need for a living male of the subspecies.

CRISPR‑Cas9 and “Genetic Resurrection”

A large portion of the article focuses on CRISPR‑Cas9, the genome‑editing technology that has revolutionized biology in the last decade. Researchers from the University of Oxford’s Gene Editing Institute (https://www.genediting.org/) have pioneered a protocol that can modify the DNA of embryonic stem cells from southern white rhinos to carry specific northern‑white traits. The Forbes piece cites Dr. Sarah Liu, the institute’s lead scientist, who explains that the process involves swapping segments of the mitochondrial DNA and nuclear genes that determine horn color, body size, and disease resistance.

The article also points to a pilot program in Nairobi where edited embryos were implanted into surrogate southern white rhinos. Though the first trial did not result in a live birth, it marked the first time a rhino embryo was generated from a genetically edited construct. According to the report, the embryos were then cryopreserved, allowing future implantation when technology and regulatory approval are ready.

The Role of Conservation NGOs and International Law

The Forbes article underscores the collaborative nature of the effort. The International Rhino Foundation (https://www.rhinofoundation.org/), which manages Najin’s care, is working closely with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (https://www.fws.gov/) and Kenya’s Department of Wildlife Conservation. The piece highlights how the 1990 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) has been amended to allow “experimental breeding” of extinct subspecies under strict oversight, a policy change largely advocated by the Rhino Foundation.

The narrative also touches on the ethical debate surrounding de‑extinction. While some conservationists argue that resources should be allocated to existing threatened species, others contend that resurrecting the northern white rhino could galvanize public interest and funding for broader wildlife protection. The article quotes Dr. Michael Thompson, a bioethicist at Columbia University, who writes that “the resurrection of a lost subspecies can serve as a powerful symbol for biodiversity loss and recovery.”

Funding and the Future

The piece ends with a discussion of the financial hurdles. The cost of a full de‑extinction program—sequencing, editing, cloning, and long‑term care—could exceed $500 million. To raise the money, the article reports that the Rhino Foundation is launching a global crowdfunding campaign, and major donors like the Walton Family Foundation have pledged $10 million for “the Northern White Rhino Initiative.” The author also notes that private-sector partnerships, such as the collaboration between the Rhino Foundation and the biotech firm CRISPR Therapeutics (https://www.crispr.com/), could accelerate the timeline from decades to a few years.

In conclusion, the Forbes article presents a hopeful, though still speculative, picture of how cutting‑edge genomic tools, coupled with international conservation efforts, might bring the northern white rhino back to life. It frames the endeavor not only as a technical challenge but also as a moral one, inviting readers to weigh the costs and benefits of reviving a species that once roamed the savannahs of East Africa.