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World's last male northern white rhino dies

Tuesday, 20 March 2018 7:11 AM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 20 March 2018 7:14 AM ]

The last surviving male northern white rhino named 'Sudan' is seen at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia. (Photo by Reuters)

The world's last male northern white rhino has died, the Kenyan conservancy taking care of it said on Tuesday, leaving only two of its subspecies alive in the world.

In a statement, Ol Pejeta Conservancy said Sudan died at the age of 45 in Kenya on Monday (March 19).

Sudan's condition worsened in his final 24 hours through degenerating muscle and bone strength leaving him unable to stand. A decision was taken to euthanise the animal.

A copy of his genetic material was taken on the day of his death in the hope that future technology could potentially revive the species seemingly doomed for extinction.

Only two females of the northern white rhino species remain, Sudan's daughter Najin and Najin's daughter Fatu.

While there are thousands of southern white rhinos still roaming the plains of sub-Saharan Africa, decades of rampant poaching drastically cut northern white rhino numbers.

In 2017, conservationists put Sudan on the dating app Tinder, hoping to raise enough money for $9-million fertility treatment as all attempts at getting him to mate naturally had failed.

(Source: Reuters)

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