Researchers in Australia have successfully created the first kangaroo embryo using in vitro fertilization, or IVF, according to a new study.<\/p>\n
The team from the University of Queensland used IVF to produce an embryo of the eastern gray kangaroo (Macropus giganteus). Researchers say they hope to use the information they\u2019ve gathered to help with the conservation of other more threatened marsupial species.<\/p>\n
The success of this procedure was a long time coming. \u201cWe worked very hard for 20, nearly 30, years to do IVF in any Australian marsupial without real success,\u201d John Rodger, with the University of Newcastle in Australia, who wasn\u2019t involved with the study, told The Guardian. He added the new study \u201clooks to be really promising progress.\u201d<\/p>\n
IVF is a well-understood technology for many mammals, but \u201cmarsupial eggs and sperm are distinct in shape and size, requiring us to fine-tune our instruments,\u201d Andres Gambini, a co-author of the study and senior lecturer at the University of Queensland\u2019s School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability, told Mongabay in an email.<\/p>\n
Gambini\u2019s team started with eastern gray kangaroos because they\u2019re considered to be abundant and the researchers wouldn\u2019t be risking the precious genetic material of a more threatened marsupial. \u201cHowever, the knowledge gained can ultimately help a wide range of marsupials, including those at risk of extinction,\u201d Gambini said.<\/p>\n
At least 39 species of mammals have gone extinct in Australia since European colonization began in the 18th century; that\u2019s the most mammal extinctions of any continent. The extinctions have largely been driven by habitat loss, climate change, and the introduction of invasive species, including cats. Adding to the urgency of extinctions, roughly 87% of mammals in Australia are found nowhere else on Earth. So if they go extinct in the land down under, they\u2019re gone from the world.<\/p>\n
Gambini said IVF can potentially be used to help marsupials like the northern hairy-nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus krefftii), of which there are just 300 remaining, and Gilbert\u2019s potoroo (Potorous gilbertii), which has a population of roughly 150.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven if IVF isn\u2019t applied immediately, it\u2019s crucial to act now by preserving genetic material \u2014 such as eggs, sperm, and embryos \u2014 from these species. By securing these samples today, we maintain a genetic \u2018insurance policy\u2019 that can be used in the future,\u201d Gambini said.<\/p>\n
This isn\u2019t the first time IVF has been used in a last-ditch effort to save a species from extinction. Conservationists have also attempted IVF to help save the Sumatran rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) in Indonesia and the northern white rhino (Ceratotherium simum cottoni) in Africa.<\/p>\n
The Australian researchers say they want to continue to improve their techniques and build connections with the government and research institutions. \u201cThis would allow us to quickly act if one of these precious endangered marsupials passes away, ensuring their genetic material is preserved,\u201d Gambini said.<\/p>\n
This article<\/a> by Bobby Bascomb was first published by Mongabay.com on 19 February 2025. Lead Image: Eastern gray kangaroo via pxhere (Public domain).<\/i><\/p>\n Help to protect wildlife by making a monthly donation of as little as $1.<\/p>\n Your donation will support vital conservation projects<\/a>.<\/p>\nWhat you can do<\/h2>\n