Only two northern white rhinos exist in the world: both are female and neither can bear calves. But scientists have not given up hope of saving the species from extinction.
They succeeded last year in creating hybrid embryos using frozen northern white rhino sperm and eggs from a southern white rhino, a closely related sub-species.
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Only two northern white rhinos exist in the world: both are female and neither can bear calves. But scientists have not given up hope of saving the species from extinction.
As part of that work, on Wednesday, a team led by Thomas Hildebrandt of the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research in Berlin harvested egg cells from a female southern white rhino, 17-year-old Hope, at a zoo park in the Polish city of Chorzow.
As the ovaries are about two meters inside, they inserted an instrument they created for this purpose containing an ultrasound camera with a needle through the anus and into the ovarian tissue.
The process of implantation is what the scientists are now trying to perfect. Only when they master it can they risk using the egg cells of the two surviving rhinos and preserved sperm to produce "pure" northern white rhino, to be carried by a southern white surrogate. They hope to achieve this in less than three years.
Karel Janicek in Prague contributed.
Female southern white rhino, 17-year-old Hope, is shot with tranquilizing darts, so a team of experts can harvest its eggs, at a zoo park in Chorzow, Poland, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. (AP PhotoPetr David Josek)
Anesthesiologists Frank Goeritz checks on 17-year-old Hope, as team of experts harvests its eggs at a zoo park in Chorzow, Poland, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. (AP PhotoPetr David Josek)
Thomas Hildebrandt of the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research in Berlin examines samples after harvesting eggs from female southern white rhino, 17-year-old Hope, at a zoo park in Chorzow, Poland, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. (AP PhotoPetr David Josek)
Thomas Hildebrandt of the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research in Berlin examines samples after harvesting eggs from female southern white rhino, 17-year-old Hope, at a zoo park in Chorzow, Poland, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. (AP PhotoPetr David Josek)
Anesthesiologists Frank Goeritz prepares to sedate female southern white rhino, 17-year-old Hope, so a team of experts can harvest its eggs, at a zoo park in Chorzow, Poland, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. (AP PhotoPetr David Josek)
Anesthesiologists Frank Goeritz shoots a tranquilizing dart to sedate female southern white rhino, 17-year-old Hope, so team of experts can harvest its eggs at a zoo park in Chorzow, Poland, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. (AP PhotoPetr David Josek)
Now they are working on how to implant the embryos into a surrogate mother to bring them to term, and once they've mastered that, they can create purebred northern white rhino embryos that would be carried by a southern white.
Team of experts led by Thomas Hildebrandt, right down, of the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research in Berlin, harvests eggs from female southern white rhino, 17-year-old Hope, at a zoo park in Chorzow, Poland, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. (AP PhotoPetr David Josek)
As part of that work, on Wednesday, a team led by Thomas Hildebrandt of the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research in Berlin harvested egg cells from a female southern white rhino, 17-year-old Hope, at a zoo park in the Polish city of Chorzow.
They have recently done the same with selected southern white rhinos about 18 times in zoos across Europe.
With the size of a rhino and its weight of about two tons, it was another challenge for the scientists to find a way of harvesting the eggs without harming the animal.
Team of experts harvests eggs from female southern white rhino, 17-year-old Hope, at a zoo park in Chorzow, Poland, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. (AP PhotoPetr David Josek)
As the ovaries are about two meters inside, they inserted an instrument they created for this purpose containing an ultrasound camera with a needle through the anus and into the ovarian tissue.
"It's a little bit like rocket science because there is no example which we can follow because we are the first in this field we developed everything from scratch," Hildebrandt said.
Since the remaining northern females, a mother and daughter called Najin and Fatu who live in Kenya, are unable to bear offspring themselves, the embryos created from their eggs will be implanted into a southern white rhino surrogate.
Team of experts led by Thomas Hildebrandt, center, of the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research in Berlin, harvests eggs from female southern white rhino, 17-year-old Hope, at a zoo park in Chorzow, Poland, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. (AP PhotoPetr David Josek)
The process of implantation is what the scientists are now trying to perfect. Only when they master it can they risk using the egg cells of the two surviving rhinos and preserved sperm to produce "pure" northern white rhino, to be carried by a southern white surrogate. They hope to achieve this in less than three years.
"First, we have to optimize the method of implanting the embryos," said Jan Stejskal, a spokesman for Dvur Kralove Zoo in the Czech Republic, which has a long history of rhino conservation and from which the last two females were taken to Kenya several years ago.
"We expect to be close to perfecting the method in several months," Stejskal said.
Team of experts led by Thomas Hildebrandt, 2nd right, of the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research in Berlin, harvests eggs from female southern white rhino, 17-year-old Hope, at a zoo park in Chorzow, Poland, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. (AP PhotoPetr David Josek)
Karel Janicek in Prague contributed.
Female southern white rhino, 17-year-old Hope, is shot with tranquilizing darts, so a team of experts can harvest its eggs, at a zoo park in Chorzow, Poland, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. (AP PhotoPetr David Josek)
Female southern white rhino, 17-year-old Hope, is shot with tranquilizing darts, so a team of experts can harvest its eggs, at a zoo park in Chorzow, Poland, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. (AP PhotoPetr David Josek)
Anesthesiologists Frank Goeritz checks on 17-year-old Hope, as team of experts harvests its eggs at a zoo park in Chorzow, Poland, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. (AP PhotoPetr David Josek)
Thomas Hildebrandt of the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research in Berlin examines samples after harvesting eggs from female southern white rhino, 17-year-old Hope, at a zoo park in Chorzow, Poland, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. (AP PhotoPetr David Josek)
Thomas Hildebrandt of the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research in Berlin examines samples after harvesting eggs from female southern white rhino, 17-year-old Hope, at a zoo park in Chorzow, Poland, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. (AP PhotoPetr David Josek)
Anesthesiologists Frank Goeritz prepares to sedate female southern white rhino, 17-year-old Hope, so a team of experts can harvest its eggs, at a zoo park in Chorzow, Poland, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. (AP PhotoPetr David Josek)
Anesthesiologists Frank Goeritz shoots a tranquilizing dart to sedate female southern white rhino, 17-year-old Hope, so team of experts can harvest its eggs at a zoo park in Chorzow, Poland, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. (AP PhotoPetr David Josek)
PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron warned Thursday that Europe could “die” if it fails to build its own robust defense as Russia’s war in Ukraine rages on, or if it fails to undertake major trade and economic reforms to compete with China and the U.S.
Macron urged Europeans to become more ambitious in a fast-changing world to face the challenges of war, fierce trade competition, energy scarcity, climate change and increasing authoritarianism.
In a nearly two-hour speech at Sorbonne University in Paris, Macron said that the continent is divided and “too slow and lacks ambition” at a time when the 27-member European Union needs to become a superpower, defend its own borders and speak with one voice if it wants to survive and thrive.
“Our Europe today is mortal,” Macron said. “It can die and that depends solely on our choices,” he added. He called on people to make those choices now because, “it’s today that Europe is between war and peace.”
Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, now in its third year, is an existential threat and Europe isn't armed enough to defend itself when “confronted by a power like Russia that has no inhibitions, no limits,” Macron said.
‘Our ability to ensure our security is at stake," Macron said. “Russia mustn’t be allowed to win.”
Europe now has the “good fortune” of having the Biden administration’s commitment to supporting Ukraine, Macron said. But, in a year of key elections around Europe, in the U.S. and elsewhere, support may fragment or disappear entirely, he added.
“Europe must become capable of defending its interests, with its allies by our side whenever they are willing, and alone if necessary,” Macron said.
Strong armies, a European rapid intervention program and force, tanks, a missile shield and other weapons, produced in Europe, will need the support of “a joint diplomatic force that will speak with one voice and build bridges with Africa and Latin America,” the French leader said.
“Only then will Europe show that it's not a United States’ lap dog, and that it also knows how to talk to other regions of the world,” he said.
France has been a firm supporter of Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression, and Macron has often clashed with other Western leaders as he has insisted that Europe must stand by the country at any cost. The French president alarmed European leaders by saying recently that sending Western troops into Ukraine to shore up its defenses shouldn’t be ruled out.
Referring to trade practices of China and the U.S., Macron said “the two world powers have decided not to respect the rules of global trade” by shoring up protections and subsides while Europe’s industry remains open and is stuck in overregulation.
“Let’s do the same, we are in competition,” Macron said.
“We must buy faster, we must produce more and we must buy more that is made in Europe. That is key,” Macron said.
Thursday's speech came less than two months before a pivotal European Parliament election.
Macron, an avid advocate of a united and assertive Europe, also rallied support for his centrist Renaissance party before the June 6-9 vote as far-right parties lead the moderate coalitions in the polls. He called for safeguarding democratic values as the “authoritarian model” was becoming “more popular” across the continent.
The war in Ukraine and immigration are top priorities for European Union voters, according to polls. Far-right parties have gained support by criticizing Macron’s government policies on both issues. Macron acknowledged divisions on immigration policies, including on asylum and deportation rules for those who have arrived to Europe illegally.
He emphasized the need for an effective response and Europe-wide coordination for curbing illegal immigration, closer cooperation with immigrants' countries of origin and a unified, relentless fight against human traffickers.
Macron criticized the idea of striking an agreement, as Britain as done, with countries in Africa and elsewhere to transfer immigrants there.
“This is a betrayal of our values that ultimately leads us to dependency on other counties,” Macron said.
The British government earlier this week approved a law allowing the deportation of some migrants who enter the country illegally to Rwanda.
Macron lost his majority in France’s most influential house of parliament, the National Assembly, after the 2022 election to the far-left coalition and the far-right National Rally party.
The social situation in France remains tense as Paris prepares to host the Olympic Games this summer, amid protests from teachers and police officers, and farmer demonstrations in recent weeks. The protests follow huge rallies last year against Macron’s ultimately successful proposal to increase the retirement age from 62 to 64.
Barbara Surk reported from Nice, France. Lorne Cook contributed to this report from Brussels.
French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech on Europe in the amphitheater of the Sorbonne University, Thursday, April 25 in Paris. 2024. French President Emmanuel Macron will outline his vision for Europe as a more assertive global power at the backdrop of war in Ukraine, security, and economic challenges in a speech ahead of pivotal election for the European Parliament in June. (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP)
French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech on Europe in the amphitheater of the Sorbonne University, Thursday, April 25 in Paris. 2024. French President Emmanuel Macron will outline his vision for Europe as a more assertive global power at the backdrop of war in Ukraine, security, and economic challenges in a speech ahead of pivotal election for the European Parliament in June. (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP)
French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech on Europe in the amphitheater of the Sorbonne University, Thursday, April 25 in Paris. 2024. French President Emmanuel Macron will outline his vision for Europe as a more assertive global power at the backdrop of war in Ukraine, security, and economic challenges in a speech ahead of pivotal election for the European Parliament in June. (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP)
French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech on Europe in the amphitheater of the Sorbonne University, Thursday, April 25 in Paris. 2024. French President Emmanuel Macron will outline his vision for Europe as a more assertive global power at the backdrop of war in Ukraine, security, and economic challenges in a speech ahead of pivotal election for the European Parliament in June. (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP)
French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech on Europe in the amphitheater of the Sorbonne University, Thursday, April 25 in Paris. 2024. French President Emmanuel Macron will outline his vision for Europe as a more assertive global power at the backdrop of war in Ukraine, security, and economic challenges in a speech ahead of pivotal election for the European Parliament in June. (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP)
French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech on Europe in the amphitheater of the Sorbonne University, Thursday, April 25 in Paris. 2024. French President Emmanuel Macron will outline his vision for Europe as a more assertive global power at the backdrop of war in Ukraine, security, and economic challenges in a speech ahead of pivotal election for the European Parliament in June. (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP)
French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech on Europe in the amphitheater of the Sorbonne University, Thursday, April 25 in Paris. 2024. French President Emmanuel Macron will outline his vision for Europe as a more assertive global power at the backdrop of war in Ukraine, security, and economic challenges in a speech ahead of pivotal election for the European Parliament in June. (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP)
French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech on Europe in the amphitheater of the Sorbonne University, Thursday, April 25 in Paris. 2024. French President Emmanuel Macron will outline his vision for Europe as a more assertive global power at the backdrop of war in Ukraine, security, and economic challenges in a speech ahead of pivotal election for the European Parliament in June. (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP)
French President Emmanuel Macron arrives to deliver a speech on Europe in the amphitheater of the Sorbonne University, Thursday, April 25 in Paris. 2024. French President Emmanuel Macron will outline his vision for Europe as a more assertive global power at the backdrop of war in Ukraine, security, and economic challenges in a speech ahead of pivotal election for the European Parliament in June. (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP)
French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech on Europe in the amphitheater of the Sorbonne University, Thursday, April 25 in Paris. 2024. French President Emmanuel Macron will outline his vision for Europe as a more assertive global power at the backdrop of war in Ukraine, security, and economic challenges in a speech ahead of pivotal election for the European Parliament in June. (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP)
French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech on Europe in the amphitheater of the Sorbonne University, Thursday, April 25 in Paris. 2024. French President Emmanuel Macron will outline his vision for Europe as a more assertive global power at the backdrop of war in Ukraine, security, and economic challenges in a speech ahead of pivotal election for the European Parliament in June. (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP)
French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a media conference at an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, April 18, 2024. European Union leaders on Wednesday debated a new "European Competitiveness Deal" aimed at helping the 27-nation bloc close the gap with Chinese and American rivals amid fears the region's industries will otherwise be left behind for good. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)
