Australian scientists have successfully produced the world’s first-ever kangaroo embryo using in vitro fertilisation, or IVF.
According to CNN, the scientists have called the historic feat of producing the world’s first kangaroo embryo through IVF a “groundbreaking achievement” that could help in saving the species under the threat of extinction.
Researchers from the University of Queensland, in a historic experiment, took eggs and sperm from grey kangaroos and grew them in a lab through a special method called intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), the technique that is already used for humans and some animals.
Andres Gambini, who led the research into the kangaroo embryo, said in a statement, “Australia is home to the greatest diversity of marsupial fauna on the planet, but it also has the highest mammal extinction rate,” adding that the technique could also be used to save other animals too who are on the brink of extinction.
He asserted, “Our ultimate goal is to support the preservation of endangered marsupial species like koalas, Tasmanian devils, northern hairy-nosed wombats, and Leadbeater’s possums. Access to marsupial tissues is challenging as they are less studied than domestic animals despite being iconic and integral to Australian biodiversity.”
The new historic research can play a significant role in the conservation efforts of Australia, which is known for the largest variety of marsupial mammals but has the highest rate of mammal extinctions.
