The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has said it is saddened that the planet earth is inching closer to extinction of the
rare northern white rhinoceros after the death of 41-year-old Nola in the US.
Nolas’s death
at
the weekend at the San Diego Zoo in California leaves the world with
three individuals, all in Kenya at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy.
Nola was
the only female in
the Western World, including North America, South America, and Europe. She was wild caught in the Shambe area, which is located "in the southern savanna woodlands of
Sudan and was rescued from the violent poaching that is prevalent in that region when she was only a few years old."
Her age upon capture has been estimated more closely at being 18 months old.
She belonged to the
Dvůr Králové Zoo in the
Czech Republic, but since 1989 she had been on loan in San Diego.
The Northern White Rhino (Ceratotherium simum cottoni) is currently the world’s rarest rhinoceros.
The northern
white rhino is a sub-species 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.
The translocation of the last individuals from Zoo
Dvůr Králové Zoo in Czech Republic
to
natural conditions in order to evoke normal territorial and social
behaviour essential for regular breeding was thought to be the only
conservation option
available. 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.
Kenya was chosen to host four individuals due to its proximity to the former ranges i.e. DRC and Sudan
and the rhinos repatriated in 2009 through a project dubbed “Back to Africa” spearheaded by The Back to
africa organisation based in South Africa. One of the males named ‘Suni’ died in October 2014.
The three northern white rhinos continue to be monitored closely and are kept in two groups with four
southern white rhinos which were introduced to stimulate reproduction. 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.
Various matings have been noted over the period they have been at Ol Pejeta but with no success in conception.
In October 2014, the younger male, Suni died with no prior history of illness. This has now left an old
male (over 40 years of age) that has no ability to reproduce naturally.
In early 2015, checks by vets from the Czech Republic and
Kenya Wildlife Service
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,
leaving just four northern white rhino left on the planet.
An examination of the remaining three northern white rhinoceroses at Ol Pejeta Conservancy was conducted
from 29th to 30th November, 2014 following the sudden death of Suni (Male) in the night of October, 16th/17th, 2014, nearly 5 years after introduction in December 2009.
A
contingency plan has since been put in place as it was noted that
technology can still save the species.
The northern white rhinos steering committee chaired by KWS is
assessing the best way forward to save this great sub-species from
extinction.
A team of experts both local and foreign collected semen from the remaining male northern white rhinos
on 18th and 19th October 2015.
A plan to harvest Oocytes from the female NWR will then follow.
Two southern white rhinos have been paired with the two northern white rhinos females for companionship.
The vet checks did conclude one last ray of hope – that
in vitro fertilisation (IVF) was a possibility. While this does
not come without risks (and significant costs) – all other options have
been exhausted and time is running out.
Background
The world has
five remaining species of rhino: Black, white, greater one-horned,
Sumatran and Javan rhinos. All of the world’s rhino species are under
threat, mostly from poaching for their horn. The horn is mainly used for
traditional Eastern medicine; however rhino horn
does not have any medicinal properties. There is currently an alarming
rise in the number of rhino being killed for their horn in Africa,
affecting both the Black Rhinoceros and White Rhinoceros population.
The three Asian rhino species, the Greater One-horned Rhinoceros, the Sumatran Rhinoceros and the Javan
Rhinoceros, are also threatened by habitat destruction. Current population estimates are:
- White Rhinoceros – approx. 20,000
- Black Rhinoceros – approx. 5,000
- Greater One-horned Rhinoceros – approx. 3,000
- Sumatran Rhinoceros – Less than 100
- Javan Rhinoceros – approx. 40.
Kenya’s
rhino population has suffered from the same demise as other rhino
populations in the world. KWS and county governments, private and
community sanctuaries have
been working together to minimize threats posed to Kenya’s rhino
population.
By end of 2014, Kenya
hosted 1,047 rhinos; 648 black rhinos, 396 southern white and, and now 3
last remaining Northern white rhinos after the death of Nana at the
weekend.
Kenya has the 3rd
largest population of rhinos in the world after South Africa and
Namibia, thus a success story in rhino conservation.
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