With only three living individuals left on this planet, the northern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum cottoni) could be considered doomed for extinction. It might still be possible, however, to rescue the (sub)species by combining novel stem cell and assisted reproductive technologies. To discuss the various practical options available to us, we convened a multidisciplinary meeting under the name "Conservation by Cellular Technologies." The outcome of this meeting and the proposed road map that, if successfully implemented, would ultimately lead to a self-sustaining population of an extremely endangered species are outlined here. The ideas discussed here, while centered on the northern white rhinoceros, are equally applicable, after proper adjustments, to other mammals on the brink of extinction. Through implementation of these ideas we hope to establish the foundation for reversal of some of the effects of what has been termed the sixth mass extinction event in the history of Earth, and the first anthropogenic one. Zoo Biol. 35:280-292, 2016. © 2016 The Authors. Zoo Biology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Avantea srl Laboratorio di Tecnologie della Riproduzione Cremona Italy

Center for iPS Cell Research and Application Kyoto University Sakyo ku Kyoto Japan

Department of Chemical Physiology Center for Regenerative Medicine The Scripps Research Institute La Jolla California

Dipartimento Scienze Mediche Veterinarie Università di Bologna Ozzano dell'Emilia Italy

Faculty of Medical Sciences Kyushu University Higashi ku Fukuoka Japan

Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Univeristy of Teramo Campus Coste San Agostino Teramo Italy

Fondazione Avantea Cremona Italy

Institute of Stem Cell Research German Research Center for Environmental Health Helmholtz Center Munich Neuherberg Germany

Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine Berlin Germany

San Diego Zoo Global San Diego California

San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research Escondido California

School of BioSciences The University of Melbourne Melbourne Victoria Australia

The Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Berlin Germany

Tiergarten Schoenbrunn Vienna Austria

ZOO Dvůr Králové Dvůr Králové nad Labem Czech Republic

References provided by Crossref.org

How great thou ART: biomechanical properties of oocytes and embryos as indicators of quality in assisted reproductive technologies

In vitro fertilization program in white rhinoceros

Individuality, species-specific features, and female discrimination of male southern white rhinoceros courtship calls

Ethical Analysis of the Application of Assisted Reproduction Technologies in Biodiversity Conservation and the Case of White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) Ovum Pick-Up Procedures

Naïve-like pluripotency to pave the way for saving the northern white rhinoceros from extinction

An Ethical Assessment Tool (ETHAS) to Evaluate the Application of Assisted Reproductive Technologies in Mammals' Conservation: The Case of the Northern White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum cottoni)

Contrasting evolutionary history, anthropogenic declines and genetic contact in the northern and southern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum)

Embryos and embryonic stem cells from the white rhinoceros

Evaluating recovery potential of the northern white rhinoceros from cryopreserved somatic cells

Development to term of sheep embryos reconstructed after inner cell mass/trophoblast exchange