Northern White Rhino Faces Extinction

Have you heard about Nola?

Nola, living in the San Diego Zoo Safari Park was one of only 4 Northern White Rhino's left in the world.

Unfortunately the world lost Nola during the third weekend of November. 

While America geared up for their Thanksgiving day feasts and the shopping holiday that comes after it, the San Diego Zoo posted this sad note on their facebook page:

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the death of Nola, a critically endangered northern white rhino who lived at...
Posted by San Diego Zoo on Sunday, November 22, 2015

Nola, who was 41 years old, had been ill for a while.  She was suffering from a bacterial infection and had recently undergone surgery to drain an abscess in her pelvic region which was the cause of her illness.

Another female Northern White Rhino (in a different zoo) had died just this past July, also from an abcess.

The passing of these two females leaves only 3 Northern White Rhinos alive.  Two female and one male who, unfortunately, has a low sperm count.

Since poaching is the reason that the Northern White Rhino is critically endangered, Sudan is kept under constant guard, being the only male of his species left alive.  He has also has his horns cut off to make him less appealing to poachers.

Keep our #rhino #rangers safe- the men who safeguard our rhinos need your help. http://t.co/50hxQENE9d #RT #OlPejeta pic.twitter.com/nHLtJFgRR2

— Ol Pejeta (@OlPejeta) February 9, 2015

All because people with more money than sense decided that they MUST have rhino horns.

That is very silly when you realize that rhino horns are keratin all the way through.  Do you know what keratin is?  It is the same thing that our own fingernails are made of!

Since all previous insemination attempts were unsuccessful, things are looking bleak for the Northern White Rhino.