There are only two northern white rhinos left in the world, both are females. The only hope for these magnificent animals now rests on pioneering assisted reproduction techniques. After successfully harvesting oocytes during a procedure in Kenya on August 22, 2019, experts from the BioRescue consortium will announce results of its current work and give an outlook on future steps during a press conference held in Cremona (Italy) on September 11, 2019. Journalists are invited and will be provided with all relevant information first hand from specialists.
What:
BioRescue is an international research and conservation consortium with the goal to significantly advance assisted reproduction techniques (ART) and stem cell associated techniques (SCAT) complemented with a comprehensive ethical assessment for the benefit of the northern white rhinoceros. The consortium is partially funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). BioRescue aims to achieve preventing the extinction of the northern white rhino. The procedure of collecting eggs in Kenya was conducted in close cooperation with the local project partners Kenya Wildlife Service and Ol Pejeta Conservancy where the last two living northern white rhino females reside.
www.biorescue.org
Where and When:
Camera Di Commercio Di Cremona (Cremona Chamber of Commerce)
Piazza Antonio Stradivari, 5, 26100 Cremona CR, Italia
Wednesday, September 11, 2019
10 AM (CEST)
Who:
Prof. Thomas Hildebrandt
Head of Department of Reproduction Management, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW)
BioRescue project head
Prof. Cesare Galli
Director of Avantea Srl
Prof. Barbara de Mori
Director of the Ethics Laboratory for Veterinary Medicine, Conservation and Animal Welfare, University of Padua
Jan Stejskal
Director of Communication and International Projects, Zoo Dvůr Králové
Press Contacts:
Cesare Galli
Direcor, Avantea
phone: +39 0372 437242
mail: cesaregalli@avantea.it
Jan Stejskal
Director of Communication and International Projects, Zoo Dvůr Králové
phone +420/608 009 072
mail: jan.stejskal@zoodk.cz
Elodie Sampéré
Head of PR & Communications, Ol Pejeta Concervancy
+254 / 727 341 612
elodie.sampere@olpejetaconservancy.org
Paul Udoto
Head of Corporate Communications, Kenya Wildlife Service
+254 / 721 453 9
pudoto@kws.go.ke
Marco Milan
Press Office, University of Padua
phone: +39 049 827 3041-3066
mail: stampa@unipd.it
Steven Seet
Head of Science Communication, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW)
phone: +49(0)30 5168125
mail: seet@izw-berlin.de
Consortium Partners:
Avantea is a laboratory of advanced technologies for biotechnology research and animal reproduction based in Cremona, Italy. Avantea has over twenty years of experience and the know-how in assisted reproduction of livestock developed through years of research conducted in the biomedical and animal reproduction fields. www.avantea.it/en/
Dvůr Králové Zoo is a safari park in the Czech Republic. It's one of the best rhino breeders outside of Africa and the only place where the northern white rhino bred in human care. Dvůr Králové Zoo coordinates efforts to save the northern white rhinos. safaripark.cz/en/
Ol Pejeta Conservancy is the largest black rhino sanctuary in east Africa, and is the only place in Kenya to see chimpanzees. It is also home to the last two northern white rhinos on the planet. Ol Pejeta’s cutting edge wildlife security includes a specialised K-9 unit, motion sensor cameras along its solar-powered electric fence, and a dedicated Rhino Protection Unit.
www.olpejetaconservancy.org
Kenya Wildlife Service is the government institution that conserves and manages wildlife for Kenyans and the world. It also enforces related laws and regulations. www.kws.go.ke
The University of Padua in Italy is one of the oldest in the world. Its Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science is developing leading research and education in the field of wildlife conservation and welfare, with a special focus on ethical assessment and evaluation of research projects and educational programs. www.unipd.it/en/university/scientific-and-academic-structures/departments/department-comparative-biomedicine-and
The Leibniz Institute for Zoo & Wildlife Research (IZW) is an internationally renowned German research institute of the Leibniz Association. Its mission is to examine evolutionary adaptations of wildlife to global change and develop new concepts and measures for conservation. To achieve this, the Leibniz-IZW uses its broad interdisciplinary expertise in conducting research for conservation in close dialogue with the public and stakeholders.
www.leibniz-izw.de
> Kyushu University, Japan
> Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Germany
> Helmholtz Center Munich, German
> University of Treamo
> Northwestern University, USA
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