(CNN) Scientists have successfully created two embryos from the northern white rhino -- a crucial turning point in the race to save the majestic animal from extinction.

The last two northern white rhinos left worldwide -- Fatu and Najin -- are both female and living at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya. The last male, Sudan, died last year, raising fears the subspecies is on the verge of extinction, especially because the two females cannot carry a pregnancy.

In a new glimmer of hope, scientists announced Wednesday that they successfully fertilized in-vitro embryos collected from the two remaining female northern white rhinos.

Scientists collect eggs from the ovaries of one of the female rhinos.

The embryos were created with eggs extracted from Fatu and Najin by international scientists last month and frozen sperm from dead males. Two embryos were viable, and are now stored in liquid nitrogen, waiting to be transferred into a surrogate mother in the near future, Ol Pejeta Conservancy said in a statement.

The embryos are just one part of a long journey to stop the northern white rhino's rapid descent into extinction.

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