On Sunday, Angalifu, a northern white rhino has died. Unfortunately, there are only five left of his kind in the entire planet.
Angalifu died of old age at 44, at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in California. The northern white rhinoceros is a species on the verge of extinction. Following Angalifu's death, there are only five northern white rhinos left globally and all of them are in captivity.
A safari park curator, Randy Rieches released a statement to AP which states, "Angalifu's death is a tremendous loss to all of us, 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."
Nola, an elderly female is the only remaining northern white rhino in the San Diego Zoo. Angalifu and Nola were unsuccessful in their breeding attempts despite the conservationists' high hopes.
Aside from Nola, there is an elderly female rhino still lives in the Dvur Kralove Zoo and the three more are Sudan (male, the only male remaining), Fatu (female) and Najin (female). The three are preserved in the OL Pejeta Conservatncy in Kenya. Also, an
The three formerly lives at the Czech Republic's Dvur Kralove Zoo. They were sent to Kenya as part of a "last-ditch breeding program".
This species has almost lost its last opportunity for a natural reproduction. Last October, a male rhino names Suni was born in captivity. Sadly, he died of mysterious reasons in Kenya. He was a crucial part of Fatu, Najin and Sudan's breeding program.
The Ol Pejeta Conservancy openly spoken for the first time last week, "the breeding experiment has more or less failed." AP also reported that this means "the last hope for the northern white rhino species now likely lies in "artificial reproductive techniques."
Times noted that the San Diego Zoo has conserved some sperm and testicular tissue for potential attempts to synthetically breed new members of this rhino species. This particular species might ruin to extermination if science cannot help.