Northern White Rhino

[Richprins]

Rare white rhino dies, leaving only 5 on earth
2014-12-16 05:10

San Diego - One of only six northern white rhino left on earth died over the weekend at a San Diego Zoo, bringing the species closer to extinction, zoo officials said on Monday.

Angalifu, who was about 44 years old and being treated for age-related conditions, died on Sunday, according to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

The world's only known remaining northern white rhino are an elderly female still at the Safari Park, one at a zoo in Europe and three in Africa, the California Zoo said in a statement.

"Angalifu's death is a tremendous loss to all of us," Randy Rieches, curator of mammals for the zoo, said in a statement. "Not only because he was well beloved here at the Park, but also because his death brings this wonderful species one step closer to extinction."

Northern white rhino have been nearly eliminated because of poaching in Africa, the zoo said. Only a few have been preserved at zoos and largely they have not re-produced.

In the wild, rhino are killed for their horns, which some people believe have medicinal value.

Semen and testicular tissue from the male rhino have been stored with the hope that new reproductive technologies will allow recovery of the species, the zoo said.
- Reuters



http://www.news24.com/Green/News/Rare-w ... h-20141216

[Mel]

Semen and testicular tissue from the male rhino have been stored with the hope that new reproductive technologies will allow recovery of the species, the zoo said.

As much as I don't like some aspects of technology - doing the above would normally be one of them - but since man is responsible for bringing the northern white rhino to the brink of extinction, we might as well do all we can to turn the cycle around again. Hopefully...

[Lisbeth]

EXTRACT FROM THE FOLLOWING THIRD PARTY SOURCE: Written by Tisha Wardlow for the The Dodo

Plan A was to make conditions as perfect as possible to breed the last remaining northern white rhinos. Ol Pejeta did everything they could to make that a possibility. The public can even adopt a northern white rhino to help pay for their care, as well as care of the other rhinos at Ol Pejeta.



northern white rhino
© Tony Karumba

Plan B was to cross-breed the northern whites with the southern whites to at least perpetuate this precious gene pool. Somehow they would still live on; their genes remaining part of rhino populations to come.

But for the last living male, named Sudan, and the two remaining females, Najin and daughter Fatu, this will not be an option. All three are getting on in age. Najin (25) has weak knees and cannot endure the breeding attempts. In a cruel twist of fate, Fatu (14) is infertile, and Sudan (38) has weak sperm.



northern white rhino
Sudan, the last male northern white rhino on the planet. © Ed Barthrop / Ol Pejeta Conservancy

So now what? There’s no superman, no magical 11th hour miracle, no known options left to us. This is extinction. Watch, appreciate and admire them while they breathe.

Human greed and ego have slaughtered this species to the point of irreversible catastrophe. We are witnessing the last of the northern white rhinos. It is inevitable.

But the big question is: will we learn from it? Will we allow it to happen again? The Sumatrans, the Javans — they are dangerously close to the same fate. Black, white and greater one-horned rhinos aren’t much further behind them.

We must not let the northern whites die in vain. It is our duty to learn from them, and to prevent the future decimation of rhinos and other species on our planet. The future of rhinos is not doomed, it is in the balance, waiting for us to determine the outcome. Vigilance, commitment and determination can preserve the rhinos, and in the end, our own fates as well.

[Richprins]

There are some Northern ones in zoos around the world...2, it seems!



This means that the only northern white rhinos still alive are the seven held in captivity. Two of them live at the San Diego Zoo's Safari Park, one resides at the Dvůr Králové Zoo in the Czech Republic,

Read more: http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animal ... z3WGeKqqgp




Angalifu, 44, died of old age Sunday at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

"With Angalifu's passing, only five northern white rhinos are left on the planet, including Nola, our elderly female," the zoo said in a statement.

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/12/15/us/sa ... index.html


Check other zoos?


This should become a massive project!

[Richprins]

White rhinos closer to extinction when 'Nola' dies at San Diego Zoo


By Marnie Hunter, CNN

Updated 1004 GMT (1804 HKT) November 23, 2015




(CNN)The world's northern white rhinoceros population plunged by a quarter on Sunday with a death at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

Nola, a 41-year-old northern white rhino, died after being treated for a bacterial infection and age-related health issues, the zoo said.

The rhino's condition had worsened significantly in the last 24 hours, and zoo veterinarians made the decision to euthanize her.

Forty-one years is at the upper end of a white rhino's life expectancy.


Nola was one of only four northern white rhinos in the world, according to the zoo. The remaining three are in the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya.

The northern white rhino is a subspecies of white rhino. The northern subspecies is believed to be extinct in the wild, according to the World Wildlife Fund, while the "near threatened" southern white rhino population is growing in sanctuaries.

Rhinos are the second largest land mammal after the elephant.

The San Diego Zoo is working to save the northern white rhino subspecies through the collection of genetic material and the development of assisted reproductive technologies.

The zoo tweeted about Nola's death Sunday: "We're devastated by the loss of Nola."



http://edition.cnn.com/2015/11/22/us/no ... index.html

[okie]

This is very sad , especially having just last week read Lawrence Anthony's book " The last rhino " , which specifically is all about trying to save the last few in the wild .

[Flutterby]

Very sad!

[Lisbeth]

It was sad a long time ago, when they were extinct in the wild

[Flutterby]

It is with great sadness that Ol Pejeta Conservancy and the Dvůr Králové Zoo announce that Sudan, the world’s last male northern white rhino, age 45, died at Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya on March 19th, 2018 (yesterday). Sudan was being treated for age-related complications that led to degenerative changes in muscles and bones combined with extensive skin wounds. His condition worsened significantly in the last 24 hours; he was unable to stand up and was suffering a great deal. The veterinary team from the Dvůr Králové Zoo, Ol Pejeta and Kenya Wildlife Service made the decision to euthanize him.

Sudan will be remembered for his unusually memorable life. In the 1970s, he escaped extinction of his kind in the wild when he was moved to Dvůr Králové Zoo. Throughout his existence, he significantly contributed to survival of his species as he sired two females. Additionally, his genetic material was collected yesterday and provides a hope for future attempts at reproduction of northern white rhinos through advanced cellular technologies. During his final years, Sudan came back to Africa and stole the heart of many with his dignity and strength.

“We on Ol Pejeta are all saddened by Sudan’s death. He was a great ambassador for his species and will be remembered for the work he did to raise awareness globally of the plight facing not only rhinos, but also the many thousands of other species facing extinction as a result of unsustainable human activity. One day, his demise will hopefully be seen as a seminal moment for conservationists world wide,” said Richard Vigne, Ol Pejeta’s CEO.

Unfortunately, Sudan’s death leaves just two female northern white rhinos on the planet; his daughter Najin and her daughter Fatu, who remain at Ol Pejeta. The only hope for the preservation of this subspecies now lies in developing in vitro fertilisation (IVF) techniques using eggs from the two remaining females, stored northern white rhino semen from males and surrogate southern white rhino females.

#SudanForever #TheLoneBachelorGone #RememberingSudan #Only2Left

29425478_10160128619825324_8373027318938992640_n.jpg (97.9 KiB) Viewed 2447 times

Source: Ol Pejeta Conservancy Facebook Page

[Richprins]