World's first AI birth achieved using frozen rhino sperm

An alliance of Eastern-European boffins has achieved what they describe as a "landmark technique for AI". The I in this case, however, stands not for Intelligence but Insemination, and the breakthrough is the the world's first live birth achieved using frozen rhinoceros semen. Now that's what we call a (possibly literally) …

[oxo]

:O

I'm thinking that I'd not want to be the one tasked with collecting the sperm..

[Anonymous Coward]

A little reading matter to assist you sir ?

"made use of "semen collected from a 35-36 year-old Southern white rhinoceros" resident in the UK's Colchester Zoo some years previously, which had been frozen and stored"

One assumes it's the semen, not the rhino that's been frozen ;o)

Can I nominate Rebecca Loos to assist as I believe she has the requisite skills on her ...errm .. CV.

[Dave]

Errrr...

I know Rhinos are horny creatures, but I'm wondering not so much about who would collect the semen but how they'd go about collecting it. I'm also wondering whether I really want to know.

I almost picked the coat icon but I'm not sure I'd want to find out what's in the pockets.

[Markie Dussard]

@Dave

Bend your imagination to the idea that bull semen is routinely collected for artificial insemination in agriculture, and then extrapolate using the concept that a rhino is just a bigger, stronger bull.

Hey presto, the thinking is complete and the mental energy required wasn't all that great after all.

[Anonymous Coward]

getting a giggle just thinking about it

I knew there was such thing as bovine artificial insemination but, not coming from an agricultural background, didn't really understand how it was done. Then one evening I saw, of all things, a comedy special with Buddy Hackett wherein he related a story about artificially inseminating a cow (from both ends of the process). I nearly peed myself from laughing so hard.

[Pyros]

re:@Dave

Not if you've seen a live showing of "milking" thoroughbreds before... *shudders*

[MadonnaC]

Volunteers

I'm sure there's some segment of the population where someone could produce a double profit - selling the sperm, and the video of the action

Paris: Because there's probably already a video out there

[Anonymous Coward]

I seem to recall

When I was at uni, the first thing that we were told in AI lectures was "never talk to agrics about AI, just don't."

[Daniel B.]

You tricked me!

And I was wondering how Artificial Intelligence could be related with bull sperm...