AssetID: 54493017
Headline: Scientists Achieve First-Ever Kangaroo IVF Embryos In Conservation Breakthrough
Caption: **VIDEO AVAILABLE. CONTACT INFO@COVERMG.COM TO RECEIVE.** Scientists have successfully created kangaroo embryos through in vitro fertilisation for the first time, marking a breakthrough that could aid the conservation of endangered animals. A team of Australian researchers at the University of Queensland developed the eastern grey kangaroo embryos using intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), a widely used IVF technique where a single sperm is injected directly into a mature egg. Dr Andres Gambini, who led the study, explained that this technology has the potential to help preserve genetic diversity in species at risk, including koalas, Tasmanian devils, and northern hairy-nosed wombats. So far, the team has produced over 20 embryos using ICSI, sourcing sperm and egg cells from kangaroos that had recently died in wildlife hospitals. Eastern grey kangaroos were chosen as the test species due to their high population numbers and the easy availability of genetic material. “We don’t need millions of sperm alive, we just need a few of them,” Gambini said, noting that ICSI requires fewer viable sperm compared to artificial insemination, a method that can be less effective for certain species, such as koalas, whose sperm deteriorates after freezing. Despite this achievement, there are no plans to produce live joeys from these IVF embryos. “Our next step is to start getting better at the technology, understanding more of the reproductive physiology … so we can move towards applying the same technology to other marsupials,” Gambini said. The researchers hope to preserve genetic material from animals that have died due to predation, disease, or accidents, storing it as frozen embryos to enhance genetic diversity in wild populations. “We need genetic variability in a population to guarantee that population to survive over time and to be able to adapt to the environment,” Gambini explained. While IVF alone won’t prevent species from going extinct, he emphasised that it is “just one more tool in our conservation toolkit,” complementing other strategies like habitat protection, breeding management, and population monitoring.
Keywords: feature,photo feature,photo story,kangaroo IVF,in vitro fertilisation,marsupial conservation,endangered species,genetic diversity,University of Queensland,intracytoplasmic sperm injection,wildlife preservation,reproductive technology,eastern grey kangaroo,conservation science,frozen embryos,breeding management,habitat protection,wildlife research
PersonInImage: A kangaroo egg being injected with sperm