Why one rhino has an armed security detail
There is one remaining male northern white rhino left on earth, and wildlife conservationists are rushing to save the species from extinction.
There is one remaining male northern white rhino left on earth, and wildlife conservationists are rushing to save the species from extinction.
His name is Sudan and he is the last known male northern white rhinoceros in the world. Now, international wildlife conservationists are doing everything they can to keep Sudan safe in the hope that he will mate with one of聽the remaining white rhinos brought to the聽Ol Pejeta Conservancy聽in Kenya in 2009.聽
The conservancy reached an agreement with the Dvur Kralove Zoo in the Czech Republic to bring four Northern White Rhinos, males Sudan and Suni, and females Najin and Fatu, to a more natural habitat聽in order to increase their odds聽successfully聽reproducing, according to ABC News.聽Attempts at mating the rhinoceroses in聽captivity聽had previously failed. In October 2014, the聽conservancy聽announced the death of Suni.
But when caring for rhinos outdoors, conservationists face a new challenge: poachers. Since 2009, the number of rhinos killed in South Africa alone has essentially doubled every other year, topping out at 1,215 last year, according to SaveTheRhino.org. Poachers target rhinos for their keratin horns that fetch hefty sums in markets like China and Vietnam, where they are thought to have medicinal value.
Fear not, however 鈥� as Sudan roams the聽3,229-square-foot聽conservancy, armed guards keep watch, according to ABC. In addition to providing a security detail, the conservancy taken other measures to protect Sudan.
鈥淏ecause of the poaching crisis, one of the measures was to remove horns,鈥� Richard聽Vigne, CEO of Ol Pjeta told ABC. "Not all of it, but hopefully enough to reduce their attractiveness for poachers.鈥�
Park rangers are getting help from drones in the fight against illegal poaching as well. In April, the Monitor聽detailed the Air Shepard initiative from the聽Lindbergh Foundation that gives grants for adopting聽scientific innovations to suit environmental issues. In this case, park rangers will use drones to to patrol high-probability poaching areas that would be inefficient or dangerous to patrol by truck, plane, or on foot.
But time is not on the side of the rhino conservationists, Sudan is 42 years old, and has already outlived Suni by eight years. Two months after Suni passed, the second-to-last male Angalifu, who was at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, died at age 44. If Sudan can not reproduce, the only other option remaining to ensure the survival of the northern white rhino may be in-vitro fertilization.聽
But in-vitro fertilization comes with its own set of issues, like genetic identity. The experiment may involve a southern white rhino surrogate mother, the Monitor reported:聽