BUDAPEST, Hungary, Jan. 25 The world's first test tube rhinoceros has been born in Budapest, Hungary.
The 128-pound bundle of joy was born Tuesday to Lulu, an endangered southern white rhino, after five years of research into artificial insemination, Germany's der Spiegel reported Thursday.
Scientists started working on alternative plans to impregnate Lulu after she and her mate, Easyboy, had settled into a friendly relationship and showed no sexual interest in each other.
A special technique was eventually devised using Easyboy's sperm, Berliner Zeitung reported.
Scientists now plan to use a similar technique on a northern white rhino, a close relative of the southern white rhino.
There are currently only nine known northern whites worldwide, including four in the wild and five in zoos.
Copyright 2007 by UPI
