Uploaded March 2018 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Sudan is a 45-year old Northern White Rhino and he weighs over 2 tonnes. In human years, he is over 97 years old and at the farther end of a Rhino's normal life span, which is usually 40 to 50 years. Now he is critically ill, with a deep infection in one of his legs. He is probably counting his last days on the planet, and the last days of his species as well.
He is lonely, lonelier than any of us could imagine!
Why Sudan?
He was named after the African country because that was his home before he was captured when he was two years old, in 1975. This was when there were more than just three northern whites in the world. Two males and four females were commissioned to be captured at the time to be taken to Dvur Kralove Zoo in the Czech Republic, which was then controlled by the Soviet Union.
Extinction mode
During Sudan's time in the zoo, northern whites were being poached extensively for their horns in the politically volatile Sudan and Congo. Rhinos, with a gestation period of over 18 months, didn't and couldn't reproduce fast enough to replace the lost numbers. In 2008, northern whites were wiped off the African continent leaving only six surviving captive rhinos including Sudan and three others, Suni (Sudan's son), Najin (Sudan's daughter) and Fatu (Sudan's grand-daughter).
We need Sudan to remind us of how easy it is, to lose an entire species with just our interference. There were no environmental issues or diseases, no lack of evolution, no lack of space, that was responsible for this very speedy extinction.
He may only have months (maybe days) to live, but his story should NEVER be forgotten.
Sudan is a 45-year old Northern White Rhino and he weighs over 2 tonnes. In human years, he is over 97 years old and at the farther end of a Rhino's normal life span, which is usually 40 to 50 years. Now he is critically ill, with a deep infection in one of his legs. He is probably counting his last days on the planet, and the last days of his species as well.
He is lonely, lonelier than any of us could imagine!
Why Sudan?
He was named after the African country because that was his home before he was captured when he was two years old, in 1975. This was when there were more than just three northern whites in the world. Two males and four females were commissioned to be captured at the time to be taken to Dvur Kralove Zoo in the Czech Republic, which was then controlled by the Soviet Union.
Extinction mode
During Sudan's time in the zoo, northern whites were being poached extensively for their horns in the politically volatile Sudan and Congo. Rhinos, with a gestation period of over 18 months, didn't and couldn't reproduce fast enough to replace the lost numbers. In 2008, northern whites were wiped off the African continent leaving only six surviving captive rhinos including Sudan and three others, Suni (Sudan's son), Najin (Sudan's daughter) and Fatu (Sudan's grand-daughter).
We need Sudan to remind us of how easy it is, to lose an entire species with just our interference. There were no environmental issues or diseases, no lack of evolution, no lack of space, that was responsible for this very speedy extinction.
He may only have months (maybe days) to live, but his story should NEVER be forgotten.
