SAVING THE NORTHERN WHITE RHINOS
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EXTINCT IN THE WILD
The northern white rhino (Ceratotherium simum cottoni) is a subspecies of white rhino, which used to range over parts of Uganda, Chad, Sudan, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Years of widespread poaching and civil war in their home range have devastated northern white rhino populations, and they are now considered to be extinct in the wild. Only two remain, both on Ol Pejeta Conservancy.
THE STORY OF THE NORTHERN WHITE RHINOS
On December 20th, 2009, four of the world’s last remaining seven northern white rhinos arrived at Ol Pejeta. Najin, Fatu, Sudan and Suni had been living in Dvur Kralove Zoo in the Czech Republic. All previous breeding attempts in the Zoo had been futile, and the hope was that the climate and rich grasslands of Ol Pejeta, a native habitat for the animals, would provide them with more favourable breeding conditions.
SAFEGUARDING 24/7
To keep the northern white rhinos safe and in good health, Ol Pejeta dedicated 24hr armed security, a 700-acre enclosure, and a nutritious diet supplemented with fresh vegetables. Expectations were raised when Suni was seen mating with Najin in 2012, but as the gestation period of 16 months wore on, it was clear that Najin was not pregnant. With so few northern whites remaining, it was decided that a southern white male would be introduced to Fatu and Najin in the hope of producing offspring that would at least preserve some of the northern white genes. Again, this proved unsuccessful.
In October 2014, we were devastated with the loss of Suni, who died of natural causes in his enclosure. His death left Sudan as the only northern white male in the world capable of breeding. In early 2015, checks by vets from the Czech Republic dealt us another blow – neither of the females is capable of natural reproduction, and Sudan’s sperm count was disappointingly low (but not surprising given his age). In July 2015, Dvur Kralove Zoo in the Czech Republic lost Nabire, and in November 2015, San Diego Zoo lost Nola - leaving just three northern white rhino left on the planet.
On the 19th of March, 2018, Sudan died. He had been suffering from age-related health issues and from a series of infections. Once his condition worsened significantly and he was unable to stand up and evidently, suffered a great deal, the decision to euthanise him was made by his veterinary team.
TELL ME SOMETHING GOOD
The vet checks did conclude one last ray of hope – that artificially assisted reproduction was a possibility. The future of this subspecies now lies in the development of in vitro fertilisation techniques and stem cell technology, costly and complicated procedures that have never before been attempted in rhinos.
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OTHER WAYS TO SUPPORT
IN THE NEWS
- 7th September 2022: Five New Embryos Created After 10th Oocyte Collection From Northern White Rhinos
- 17th February 2022: Biorescue Creates Two New Embryos In the Race Against Time to Prevent the Extinction of the Northern White Rhinoceros
- 27th October 2021 - Najin Retired from BioRescue Programme
- 30th July 2021 - Biorescue Creates Another Three Northern White Rhino Embryos, Bringing Total to 12
- 29th April 2021 - Biorescue Creates Four New Embryos and Gets Ready for Next Steps of the Northern White Rhino Rescue Mission
- 18th August 2020 - Northern White Rhino Rescue Programme Resumes Work With Successful Egg Harvest
- 15th January 2020 - Newly Created Embryo Nourishes Hope For the Survival of the Northern White Rhino
- 11th September 2019 - First Ever In-Vitro Embryos May Mark the Turn of The Tide in Fate of Nearly Extinct Northern White Rhino
- 26th August 2019 - Northern White Rhino Eggs Successfully Fertilised
- 23rd August 2019 - Successful Egg Harvest Breaks New Ground in Saving the Northern White Rhinoceros
- 24th June 2019 - Northern white rhino film ‘Kifaru’ creating a buzz beyond filmmaker’s “wildest dreams”
- 25th January 2019 - Northern white rhinos - What you need to know!
- 4th July 2018 - Scientists in Europe Announce a Breakthrough to Rescue the Northern White Rhinos
- 20th March 2018 - Sudan, the world’s last male northern white rhino, has died, putting his species on the brink of extinction
- 1st March 2018 - Northern White Rhino Update: Sudan's Health Declining
- 5th December 2017 - Press Release: An Update on The Northern White Rhinos
- 23rd June 2017 - Sudan - The Last of the Rhinos BBC Trailer
- 25th May 2017 -The World’s Most Eligible Bachelor on Tinder Is Literally the Last of His Kind
- 22nd November 2015 -White rhinos closer to extinction when 'Nola' dies at San Diego Zoo
- 20th November 2015 - CNN's 'Inside Africa' explores rhino conservation in Kenya
- 19th August 2015 - Last chance to save the northern white rhino
- 29th July 2015 - How scientists plan to save northern white rhino
- 3rd June 2015 - Khaled Abol Naga and Nargis Fakhri Stand with Sudan
- 27th May 2015 - At Home With the World's Last Male Northern White Rhinoceros
- 28th January 2015 - IVF is best chance to save endangered northern white rhino
- 21st October 2014 - The death of Suni
- 20th December 2009 - Four northern white rhinos shipped to Kenya
