Experts are pinning their hopes on in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) to save the northern white rhino from extinction.
Just five of the animals remain on the planet, after two adult males died within months of each at the end of 2014.
At a meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, on Tuesday, conservationists decided to harvest eggs from the remaining females.
The eggs will be stored with a view to being used for IVF in the future.
While offering some hope for the rhino sub-species, it also underlines the dire prospects for the last animals.
The eggs will join northern white rhino sperm already stored by an institute in Berlin, Germany.
Experts say IVF will only be attempted after techniques improve, but have set no expected timeframe for this.
More on: www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-31001941
