Written by: SARAH GIBBENS
Wildlife steward Zacharia Mutai is giving it one last consolation on March 19, 2018, as sudan, the world's last male northern white rhino, is about to complete her life journey at the Ol Pejeta Wildlife Conservancy in northern Kenya.
摄影：AMI VITALE, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CREATIVE
In addition to Sudan, two female northern white rhinos live in kenya's Pejeta Conservation Area.
Sudan is the world's last surviving male northern white rhino, and conservationists have been keeping an eye on its condition. Eventually, Sudan died on Monday night, and as soon as the news came out, animal activists around the world fell into mourning.
Sudan, a 45-year-old male rhino, has been living in the heavily guarded Kenyan Pejeta Reserve. Earlier this month, it developed a serious infection in its right hind leg. Sudan had already suffered from age-related complications, and the infection further exacerbated his condition. Today, only two female northern white rhinos are still in the reserve, and they are the only two remaining northern white rhinos on Earth.
Is it really hopeless?
Sudan's death is widely seen as the last signal before the species went extinct.
Helping Sudan reproduce was one of the most important conservation measures during his lifetime. In a final effort to raise money for rhino conservation, conservationists have created a pairing archive for Sudan.
Documenting Sudan and the species' decline is an important project for National Geographic photographer Ami Vitale.
"Right now, we're witnessing the extinction of a species that has gone through millions of years and can't survive anymore," Vitale shared on Instagram.
In 2009, Sudan was transferred from a zoo in the Czech Republic to a Kenyan reserve, where Vitale was with him. Africa's climate and vast land are thought to be more suitable for Sudan's survival and to help stimulate its reproduction.
Because Sudan is past reproductive age and the two female rhinos are unable to reproduce naturally, scientists are trying to breed a new rhino in the lab.
Scientists have collected germ cells from living northern white rhinos, and they hope to use IVF technology to surrogate southern white rhinos. This technology is still being improved. "We can't guarantee that IVF will work," said Philip Muruthi, vice president of species conservation at the African Wildlife Foundation. He also added that the attempt was very expensive, possibly more than $9 million.
"This is a bitter lesson for species conservation," Muruthi said. He also pointed out that species conservation requires huge financial support, and "the cost of species recovery will be even more expensive." ”
The Rhinoceros of Africa
In 2014, there were 7 rhino subspecies on Earth, all in zoos. By the summer of 2015, it had been reduced to 4; a few months later, only 3 remained.
But when the northern white rhino population began to decline, it was even faster than lightning.
A platoon of armed guards guarded Sudan, the world's last male northern white rhino.
In the last days of Sudan's life, the caretaker of the Pejeta Conservation Area implemented round-the-clock armed protection of the three rhinos. Despite such tight protection, they face a huge threat of poaching.
Like elephants, African rhinos are coveted by poachers for their valuable rhino horns and skin.
In 2013, another subspecies of rhino, the western black rhino, was declared extinct. There are about 1,000 black rhinos in the east and could be the next extinct rhino species.
The number of southern white rhinos is relatively impressive, about 20,000. Conservationists will also remain committed to the protection of the rhino species.
(Translator: Strange Flowers Blossom)