Not Ready for Museums and History Books Yet: Meet Sudan, the Last Rhino of His Kind

Image: Brent Stinton

His name is Sudan, an aging rhino who for natural reasons, but previously selfish and shameful human desires, happens to be the last living male Northern White Rhino on Earth. He hangs at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia surrounded by armed rangers just in case a sleazy poacher or hunter tries to massacre him for his horn* or sport.

In an emergency response breeding program dubbed a "Last Chance To Survive", he has since 2009 been trying with no success to father an offspring who will ensure continuity for his subspecies. His mates, who also happen to be his offspring, are Najin and Fatu- themselves two of the last four living female Northern White Rhinos.

Their entire subspecies is dependent on Sudan's loins. Say what you want but not many human beings have been in a position to undertake a more pressure-filled task; not a World Cup winning penalty or a job interview to be the President of the world can match.

Granted, his day-to-day life sounds VIP-level luxurious, but Sudan is also fighting a personal battle with age. At 42, he is in the dreaded mortal red zone. White Rhinoceroses have a life expectancy of between 40 and 50 years in the wild. Luckily Sudan has been a captive most of his life, so maybe he has a tidy sum of years left in him.

But why should you bother? Good question: "It's the circle of life/And it moves us all". Excuse my Elton John.

You should bother because the loss of a single species could have major repercussions on every other species; which often circles back to the well-being of humankind. A symbiotic existence of species, genes and ecosystems create a biodiversity; and the richer an area's biodiversity, the tougher its immune system.

For instance, a mass extermination of the Gray Wolf in early 20th Century U.S.A resulted in exploding numbers of elk, deer and moose- all which the wolf hunted for food. They in turn wiped out plants by feeding on them. Plants that songbirds depended on for survival. Songbirds fed on mosquitoes too but their existence was now threatened and had fled. Populations of mosquito grew uncontrollably large...you can guess the rest.

Now you know the importance of having Sudan and his subspecies around. The continuation of his species is out of your hands and all there is, is hope for something akin to a Christmas Miracle. But what you can directly influence is Sudan's safety. Keeping him from harm's way all day every day is the best chance the entire subspecies has and the brave men who have put their lives in direct line of fire could do with some love.

Support the "Keep the Rhino Rangers Safe" campaign on crowd funding website GoFundMe to make sure the rangers are properly equipped, clothed and compensated for the next six months. The target is £75,000 and they are currently on £68,000. Help them get over the line by donating or sharing the link on your social pages. Then hopefully, we'll be celebrating a bouncing baby Sudan soon.

*Sudan's ivory tusk has been de-horned to pacify the threat to his life. However, both elephant and rhino tusk's do regrow and with great black market demand and bumper illegal payoffs, poachers will kill an animal for only an inch of their tusk.