Could IVF Be the Key to Saving Endangered Marsupials?

Australian scientists have just successfully created the world’s first kangaroo embryos using in vitro fertilization (IVF).

“Our ultimate goal is to support the preservation of endangered marsupial species like koalas, Tasmanian devils, northern hairy-nosed wombats, and Leadbeater’s possums,” says Andres Gambini, lead researcher at the University of Queensland.

To conduct the trials, the researchers worked with eastern grey kangaroos, an overabundant species, and successfully created over 20 embryos. Now knowing what is possible, the scientists believe they can transmute these same techniques to at-risk and endangered marsupial species. This breakthrough is particularly important in a country that has one of the worst extinction records in the world. Notably, IVF is already being used in other parts of the world as a potential conservation tool for bison, donkeys, rhinos, and frogs, to name a few. Though more research needs to be done, this team of Australian scientists believes IVF could also be a key player in the future of marsupial conservation.