Exploring the limits of saving a subspecies: The ethics and social dynamics of restoring northern white rhinos ( Ceratotherium simum cottoni )
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Abstract The northern white rhino ( Ceratotherium simum cottoni ) is functionally extinct with only two females left alive. However, cryopreserved material from a number of individuals represents the potential to produce additional individuals using advanced reproductive and genetic rescue technologies and perhaps eventually a population to return to their native range. If this could and were done, how should it be done responsibly and thoughtfully. What issues and questions of a technical, bioethical, and societal nature will it raise that need to be anticipated and addressed? Such issues are explored in this article by an interdisciplinary team assembled to provide context to the northern white rhino project of the San Diego Zoo Global.
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The northern white rhinoceros is an example of a species with severely limited wild population sizes and a reduced extant gene pool.
“The northern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum cottoni) is one example, with severely limited wild population sizes and reduced extant gene pool [85].”
From The Concept of Agency, Animal Wellbeing, and the Practical Realities of Ex Situ Breeding Programs in Zoos and Aquariums (2024) · cites this paper as [85]
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Norman, M., & Brando, S. (2024) · Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens · doi:10.3390/jzbg5040038 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
“The northern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum cottoni) is one example, with severely limited wild population sizes and reduced extant gene pool [85].”
- Authors
- Ryder, O. A., Friese, C., Greely, H. T., Sandler, R., Saragusty, J., Durrant, B. S., & Redford, K. H.
- Affiliations
- San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research (US)
- London School of Economics and Political Science (GB)
- Stanford University (US)
- Northeastern University (US)
- University of Teramo (IT)
- Griffith University (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Redford, Kent H.
- ORCID
- Venue
- Conservation Science and Practice
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2020-07-09
- Volume
- 2
- Issue
- 8
- ISSN
- 2578-4854 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W3041709140
- Cited by
- 23
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 1
- FWCI
- 2.22
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Conservation Science and Practice (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- London School of Economics and Political Science Theses Online (London School of Economics and Political Science) (acceptedVersion)
- London School of Economics and Political Science Research Online (London School of Economics and Political Science) (acceptedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- INFM-OAR (INFN Catania) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Nature and Landscape Conservation › Environmental Philosophy and Ethics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law › Conservation, Ecology, Wildlife Education
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Keywords
- functional extinction, genetic rescue, assisted reproduction, cryopreservation, bioethics, social dynamics, species recovery
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