Last male northern white rhino in the world dies

The last male northern white rhino in the world has died.

The death of the 45-year-old rhino named Sudan means there are only two females left of the species, CNN reported.

The male rhino’s health had been deteriorating in recent days and a veterinary team decided to euthanize him, the conservation group WildAid announced Tuesday.

{mosads}

“He was a gentle giant. His personality was just amazing and given his size, a lot of people were afraid of him. But there was nothing mean about him,” said Elodie Sampere, a representative for Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya, where the rhino lived.

It is with great sadness that Ol Pejeta Conservancy and the Dvůr Králové Zoo announce that Sudan, the world’s last male northern white rhino, age 45, died at Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya on March 19th, 2018 (yesterday). #SudanForever #TheLoneBachelorGone #Only2Left pic.twitter.com/1ncvmjZTy1

— Ol Pejeta (@OlPejeta) March 20, 2018

Sampere said some of the male rhino’s genetic material was saved. Researchers are hoping to artificially inseminate one of the two females to keep the species from going extinct.

“We can only hope that the world learns from the sad loss of Sudan and takes every measure to end all trade in rhino horn,” said WildAid CEO Peter Knights, according to CNN.

“While prices of rhino horn are falling in China and Vietnam, poaching for horn still threatens all rhino species.”

Rhinos are the target of poachers due to the belief in some parts of the world that their horns work as cures for certain ailments.