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N. W. Rhino

4/5/20

*sadly, the baby southern white rhino featured here, Ringo, and the adult northern white rhino Sudan, have both died. 

sources cited

Gibbens, Sarah. "After Last Male Death, Is the Northern White Rhino Doomed?" National Geographic, National Geographic Society, 20 Mar. 2018, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2018/03/northern-white-rhino-male-sudan-death-extinction-spd/. Accessed 23 Mar. 2020

 

"Northern White Rhino." International Rhino Foundation, rhinos.org/tough-issues/northern-white-rhino/. Accessed 23 Mar. 2020. 

 

Amazing News for Northern White Rhinos. Ol Pejeta Conservancy, 2019.  https://olpejetaconservancy.org/wildlife/rhinos/northern-white-rhinos/

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Alongi, Jenise, editor. "Rhino Facts." Animal Facts Encyclopedia, 2016, www.animalfactsencyclopedia.com/Rhino-facts.html. Accessed 5 Apr. 2020. 

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*all pictures used with permission, and/or taken from the sites above.

Northern White Rhinos

The Northern White Rhino is a subspecies of the White Rhino; the other subspecies, the Southern White Rhino, is not nearly as endangered as they are. Northern White Rhinos used to live in Uganda, Chad, the DRC, Sudan, and the Central African Republic but now, tragically, there are only two left in the world. This subspecies has lived for millions of years, but humans have forced them to the point of extinction. There are 5 species of rhinos, and all are endangered except one, which used to be endangered. The White rhino is not called so because it's white; both the white and black rhinos are grey, but because of a mistranslation of the worldwide. The white rhino's mouth is wider, and the black rhino often rolls in black mud, giving it its name. Rhinos don’t usually charge at humans unless they feel threatened. Their horn is made out of keratin, the same material fingernails are made of.

Why Are They Endangered?

Rhinos are the victims of a lot of poaching. They are poached for their skin and horns. The last two rhinos have to be under armed guards all day and night to protect against poaching. Rhinos horns are believed to be helpful as a medicine, and many people pay a lot of money for a horn. Some conservationists will remove rhinos’ horns to protect against poachers, but some poachers will kill dehorned animals anyway. They do this so they don’t keep hunting a dehorned animal and waste time. Most poachers will just kill the rhinos to get the horn, but often, even if they remove it, the rhino still dies. When someone removes the horn of a rhino they have to leave some keratin behind otherwise the rhino will be hurt. Most poachers don’t do that. The last two N. W. Rhinos are both female and incapable of reproduction. Since there is no hope of saving the species naturally, scientists are turning to other ways. Sex cells were taken from the male Northern White Rhinos before they died in the hope of being able to impregnate a southern white rhino with them. 

Effects

Rhinos have been on earth for a long time, and their near extinction will have consequences on the environment. They also help communities by bringing in tourists who come to see the rhinos. In 2018, when the last male, Sudan, died, many people started thinking that there is no way to save the species, as they were extinct in the wild. It is awful to contemplate that the rhino has survived for so long and this species has now been driven so close to extinction that there is no way to naturally bring them back. Rhinos have survived many things, but like so many other animals, humans have destroyed their normal lifestyle.

What Can You Do?

The main thing is not to buy rhino products. It's the demand for rhino products that keeps making poachers kill the rhinos. If we stop buying rhino products we can try and stop this from happening to the other rhino species. You can also donate to the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, which is the conservancy that houses, guards, and takes care of the last two Northern White Rhinos. Of course, you can also bring attention to what's happening to the Northern White Rhino and other rhino. The N. W. Rhino may be extremely close to extinction, but maybe we can save the other rhino species. Some are very close to being in the same peril situation the N. W. Rhino is in; for example, the Javan Rhino has less than 70 animals left, and they all live in the same place.

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