Contents page 1 — “For me, not the Sudan is dead” page 2 — “for Us, the time just runs away” page 3 — “I kind of want to be this species” saved On a page
TIME: Mr Hildebrandt, on 19. March of this year, was euthanized the Sudan, the most famous Rhino in the world. Did you know in advance?
Thomas Hildebrandt: Yes, about 14 days in advance.
TIME: Now, where Sudan is dead …
Hildebrandt: For me, Sudan is not dead.
TIME: How, please?
Hildebrandt: His heart stopped, Yes. But his cells are still alive. Skin samples were collected after his death, there is also the sperm from him. And as long as the biological Material of Sudan is because he is not according to my Definition, also dead.
TIME: He was the last male representative of the Northern white rhinoceros. Why was he euthanized?
Thomas Hildebrandt
working at the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and wildlife research
Hildebrandt: This decision not has made easy in Kenya, Sudan, finally, is an icon of the protection of species. But he was 45 years old and seriously ill. He could not stand, and due to its high weight had already formed sun bumps. He suffered a lot. It was right to release him.
TIME: Sudan was guarded in Kenya by armed Rangers around the clock. In the past year, he has to get a profile on the Dating platform Tinder, with the help of campaign donations should be collected.
Hildebrandt: The public interest and the sympathy in his fate were enormous. The people have an interest in what happens to our planet.
This article dates back to the TIME no 50/2018. Here you can read the entire issue.
TIME: Now there are only two Northern white rhinos, Fatu and white Rhino. Both in a reserve in Kenya, two females can not be pregnant. Nevertheless, you want to save this subspecies. How?
Hildebrandt: as we see Fatu and white Rhino egg and then in the laboratory to fertilize. The embryos to be implanted in Southern white rhinoceros cows, the discharge as a surrogate mother of the Rhino calf.
TIME: This sounds likely to be only for Amateur easily. How much development?
Hildebrandt: My Team is working on this project for 2015, and we have since then taken 25 times ova in the case of the Southern white rhinoceros cows that have tested the method and improved. This was a great challenge, because it’s never been done before.
TIME: Have you managed because, in the meantime, to produce embryos?
Hildebrandt: Our Italian colleague, Cesare Galli, a specialist in artificial insemination in cattle and horses, has produced in his lab Rhino embryos, one might use a surrogate mother.
