Photos: Sudan, the world’s last male northern white rhino dies
Updated On Mar 21, 2018 09:30 AM IST
Sudan, the last male northern white rhino, died in Kenya at the age of 45, after becoming a symbol of efforts to save his subspecies from extinction, a fate that only science can now prevent. When Sudan was born in 1973 in the wild in Shambe, South Sudan, there were about 700 of his kind left in existence. At his death, there are only two females remaining alive and the hope that in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) techniques will advance enough to preserve the sub-species. Elderly by rhino standards, Sudan had been ailing for some time, suffering from age-related infections, according to his keepers at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy.
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Updated on Mar 21, 2018 09:30 AM IST
The last surviving male northern white rhino named ‘Sudan’ is seen at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia, Kenya . Ol Pejeta Conservancy, the agency taking care of Sudan, said in a statement it had made the decision with wildlife officials and his previous carers to euthanise the 45-year-old rhino due to the rapid deterioration in his condition. (Thomas Mukoya / REUTERS)
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Updated on Mar 21, 2018 09:30 AM IST
A warden guards Sudan at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy. Sudan was being treated for age-related complications that had affected his muscles and bones and also gave him extensive skin wounds. The rhino had spent two weeks in late February and early March lying in his pen due to discomfort from a deep wound on his right hind leg. (Baz Ratner / REUTERS File)
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Updated on Mar 21, 2018 09:30 AM IST
Sudan, sits in front of a transport box in a zoo in Dvur Kralove, Czech Republic. He had previously lived at the Dver Kralove Zoo before being transported to Ol Pejeta Conservancy, where he lived with the last two females of the same species, 27-year-old Najin and 17-year-old Fatu. (Michal Cizek / AFP File)
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Updated on Mar 21, 2018 09:30 AM IST
Fatu (C), and Najin (L), the only female northern white rhinos left in the world, graze at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy. After all attempts at getting him to mate naturally failed, conservationists last year put Sudan on dating app Tinder, hoping to raise enough money to pay for a $9 million fertility treatment. (Sunday Alamba / AP)
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Updated on Mar 21, 2018 09:30 AM IST
A newly unveiled sculpture “The Last Three”, a life-size Rhino sculpture created by Australian artists and conservationists Gillie and Marc, depicting Sudan, (bottom), daughter Najiin, (middle) and granddaughter Fatu (top) is seen in the Manhattan, New York City. Ol Pejeta said that they had collected Sudan’s genetic material on Monday that could be used in future to attempt reproduction of northern white rhinos. (Mike Segar / REUTERS)
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Updated on Mar 21, 2018 09:30 AM IST
Wardens assist Sudan as he grazes at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy. The only hope for the preservation of this subspecies now lies in developing in vitro fertilisation techniques using eggs from the two remaining females, stored northern white rhino semen from males and surrogate southern white rhino females. (Thomas Mukoya / REUTERS File)
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Updated on Mar 21, 2018 09:30 AM IST
Members of the Maasai Cricket Warriors pose for a photograph with Sudan after playing against the British Army Training Unit cricket team in Laikipia, Kenya. While there are thousand of southern white rhinos still roaming the plains of sub-Saharan Africa, decades of rampant poaching have drastically cut numbers of northern whites. (Thomas Mukoya / REUTERS File)
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Updated on Mar 21, 2018 09:30 AM IST