Functionally Extinct

Few terms can describe the situation of the Northern white rhino better than ‘functionally extinct’. A species that once roamed a range that extended over several countries in East and Central Africa south of the Sahara, now has been reduced to two females who now are living out the end of their days under 24-hour armed guard in Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya. In 2018 the last male rhino, 45-year-old Sudan was put down due to the deteriorating state of his degenerative disease which worsened in his old age. The two females, Najin and her daughter Fatu are both incapable of carrying to term a full pregnancy, further complicating the issue. With only two infertile individuals of the same sex left in the world it seems that the fate of this species is sealed, the death of the last northern white rhino will be the death of the species, just another in the ledger of humanity’s crimes.

The last two Northern White Rhinos, Najin and her daughter Fatu.

The species was once common in nations like Uganda, Chad, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. However political instability, poverty and an increase in the demand for rhino horns, fueled by the TCM (traditional Chinese Medicine) trade led to unsustainable levels of poaching with only weak efforts made by governments to prevent it. Thus, whole herds were gunned down and stripped of their horns, and the species was wiped out from its historic range within half a century.

The last two of the species now live under 24-7 armed guard.

With the last sighting of wild white rhinos going as far back as 2011 in South Sudan the situation seems grim. However, all hope is not lost. A small group of scientists have embarked on an ambitious mission to save the species from extinction. Rhino experts are now exploring the possibility of artificial reproduction technologies, using in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and southern white rhino surrogates as a way to preserve and maintain northern white rhino genes for the future.

In the year 2003, with funding from the Arcus Foundation, FFI (Fauna and Flora International) purchased a 364 sq km ranch that forms a part of wildlife corridor near Mount Kenya. The area was converted into a wildlife conservancy and is now known as the Ol Pejeta Conservancy. This later became the site of future artificial reproduction projects. Later a total of four Northern white rhinos were translocated to the reserve with the hope that the natural environment may stimulate the rhinos to breed, however this proved ineffective.

With the ageing males and infertile females, it soon became clear that the species needed artificial ways to provide a new generation. Dr Rob Brett, one of the scientists leading the conservation project said, “It may be possible to generate and conserve future offspring from the remaining animals at some time in the future” The scientists are considering captive southern white rhinos as possible surrogates. Unlike their Northern cousins the southern white rhino is fortunately far less endangered and captive populations in Europe’s zoos could provide several candidates for surrogacy.

Dedicated rangers, scientists and care-takers work round the clock to care for the rhinos.

However according to experts and zoologists, the success of this project will depend on the collaboration and shared of expertise of the artificial reproduction specialists from all over the world and on securing the funding and capacity required to establishing a large reserve at Ol Pejeta, so that any future offspring can live and thrive in their natural habitat. Today thousands of species, like the giant panda, Mountain Gorilla and Sumatran tiger are in danger of extinction, and nothing short of a global effort can save them from an ever-approaching fate of becoming functionally extinct.

By Shashank Uma Deepak

This link allows you to do your part in saving the Northern White Rhino by donating to fund future IVF attempts for the Northern White Rhino. Good boy Diego appeal - Fauna & Flora International (fauna-flora.org)