Australian Scientists have created the world's first Kangaroo embryo via in vitro fertilisation or IVF. According to scientists, this epic discovery could help protect other species from becoming extinct.

Researchers have successfully injected a single sperm cell into an egg using specimens from eastern grey kangaroos. However, they stated that achieving a live birth would require more work and "technical advancements."

According to lead researcher Andres Gambini, this achievement offers valuable insights into marsupial breeding. It could help improve the genetic diversity of endangered species such as the koala, Tasmanian devil, northern hairy-nosed wombat, and Leadbeater's possum. Australia is home to the most extensive variety of marsupial mammals, but it also faces the highest rate of mammal extinctions.

The University of Queensland's experiment involved growing kangaroo eggs and sperm in a lab before using a technique called intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) to create embryos. This method, which is already used in humans and some domestic animals, was tested on deceased eastern grey kangaroos. The species was chosen because it is not endangered and has a large population. Despite the iconic status of marsupials in Australia and their important role in the country's biodiversity, scientists note that research into their tissues has been limited.

"We are now refining techniques to collect, culture and preserve marsupial eggs and sperm," according to Dr Gambini; these methods will be essential in protecting "the genetic material of these unique and precious animals".

IVF is being utilised as a tool to try to conserve endangered species around the world. Last year, scientists made history by achieving the first-ever IVF rhino pregnancy, successfully transferring a lab-grown rhino embryo into a surrogate mother in Kenya. In 2018, IVF was also used to produce the first-ever donkey embryo.