Sudan, the world’s last male northern white rhino, has died

[statik13]

This is very heartbreaking; News from this morning

Sudan, the world’s last male northern white rhino, has died, putting his species on the brink of extinction

From the article:

"Sudan spent the last years of his life under 24-hour protection from armed guards. His horn had been chopped off to deter poachers, though it had begun to grow back. His guards regularly foiled poaching attacks. But the effort to save the northern white rhino seems to have come too late for a real turnaround."
​

Amazing that we have let things get to this level. There are now only two northern white rhino's left on earth, both female. There is still some slim hope that in-vitral fertilization can pull them back from the brink, but that is a very slim hope.

 

[Kebabselector]

Congratulations humanity

 

[Mousse]

There are now only two northern white rhino's left on earth, both female. There is still some slim hope that in-vitral fertilization can pull them back from the brink, but that is a very slim hope.

Two animals is no where near enough genetic variability to pull the species from the brink. Sad to see another species go extinct in my lifetime.

 

[statik13]

Two animals is no where near enough genetic variability to pull the species from the brink. Sad to see another species go extinct in my lifetime.

Sadly at this point the question becomes what can be done to save the remaining subspecies?

https://www.savetherhino.org/rhino_info/rhino_population_figures

 

[rhett7660]

Sadly at this point the question becomes what can be done to save the remaining subspecies?

https://www.savetherhino.org/rhino_info/rhino_population_figures

Yikes, those are some really low numbers!

 

[velocityg4]

How about setting up some preserves in US and Australia for the remaining sub-species? It may not be the perfect environment. But there are large tracks of land in similar environments. At least the other species might stand a chance of surviving. Current efforts certainly aren't working.

At least relocating some populations temporarily. Until drone aircraft are advanced enough to patrol, target and send response units.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Very sad news, indeed. Some humans are truly vile creatures.

 

[villicodelirant]

Very sad news, indeed. Some humans are truly vile creatures.

"Some"?

 

[BornAgainMac]

They should make the next Star Trek 4 movie with the crew using a Bird of Prey to bring back two white rhinos to the 23rd century to repopulate the species.

 

[statik13]

They should make the next Star Trek 4 movie with the crew using a Bird of Prey to bring back two white rhinos to the 23rd century to repopulate the species.

For my part, I've gone ahead and made an additional donation to savetherhino.org It's a small thing to do, but at least it's something.

 

[willmtaylor]

"Some"?

Correct.

 

[Starship67]

When humans have no respect for their own lives, lives of other humans. Why would they care about animals?

 

[phrehdd]

I have a simple take on how to deal with future animals in jeopardy -

All poachers should be shot on sight. No questions, no discussion.
All traffickers should be shot on sight. No questions, no discussion.
All end buyers should face seizure of all assets, jail sentence, hard labour.

 

[SevenSeas]

I agree that poaching should be managed with great "vigor" as it were. Deterrence only works if you have something to fear.

I find this all to be nothing short of heartbreaking. I believe there is an Aussie working on getting rhinos out of Africa into a genetic savior herd in Australia to prevent total extinction. Pretty sad how short sighted most of humanity is.

 

[juanm]

I have a simple take on how to deal with future animals in jeopardy -

All poachers should be shot on sight. No questions, no discussion.
All traffickers should be shot on sight. No questions, no discussion.
All end buyers should face seizure of all assets, jail sentence, hard labour.

Why the discrepancy? Less poachers/traffickers means higher prices, which brings new poachers/traffickers. However, no end buyers means no traffic at all.

 

[phrehdd]

Why the discrepancy? Less poachers/traffickers means higher prices, which brings new poachers/traffickers. However, no end buyers means no traffic at all.

Death can be a pretty strong deterrent in many cases.
As for end buyers, one would be hard fetched to see some idiot in some city buying a horn or piece of ivory being executed in the USA, most of Europe. However, it might be possible in some Asiatic countries and Middle East if they were to decide on that fate. However, having all person wealth being stripped can be done. It is done in the USA when homes are used for making drugs etc.

 

[statik13]

How about setting up some preserves in US and Australia for the remaining sub-species? It may not be the perfect environment. But there are large tracks of land in similar environments. At least the other species might stand a chance of surviving. Current efforts certainly aren't working.

At least relocating some populations temporarily. Until drone aircraft are advanced enough to patrol, target and send response units.

You may be onto something. Looks like there is a foundation set up to exactly that.

http://www.theaustralianrhinoproject.org/