By Paula Odek
In a remote corner of northern Kenya, a it's a race against time to save a critically endangered animal species.
Deep within the rugged terrain of Ol Pejeta Conservancy, two magnificent creatures stand as living legends with their existence teetering on the edge of extinction.
The white rhinoceros, are one of the largest land mammals on Earth. Despite their name, these impressive creatures are not actually white. They have a grey-brownish skin colour.
Their colossal size, powerful build, and iconic horns make them a symbol of African wilderness and a sight to behold.
The white rhinos are divided into two subspecies: the northern white rhino and the southern white rhino.
The southern white rhino is the more abundant of the two, with a population of around 18,000 individuals found primarily in South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Kenya.
The northern white rhino, sadly, teeters on the brink of extinction, with only two individuals remaining on Earth and can only be found in Kenya.
And with the passing of Sudan, the only male northern rhino in 2018, now only two female northern white rhinos are left in the world: Najin and Fatu.
The threats
This particular species or subspecies was abundant in the central parts of Africa some decades ago, Samuel Mutisya, Head of Conservation at Kenya's Ol Pejeta Conservancy tells TRT Afrika.
''That is the region between Congo, southern Sudan, a bit of Uganda, and Chad .So it's a localised area. We say they were endemic to the central parts of Africa,'' he says.
''Unfortunately, that region has faced a lot of civil unrest for quite a while, which has in one way or another led to the endangerment. Partly due to the destruction of their habitat, because of that unrest and lack of proper security, we lost that species,'' the conservationist laments.
Experts like Mutisya believe the plight of white rhinos in Africa has worsened due to various factors with poaching for their horns remaining the most significant threat.
The body parts of rhinos such as the horns are used in traditional medicines and for ornamentals in some parts of the world leading to illegal trade.
Conflicts between people and mammals currently rank highest among the main threats to wildlife conservation in parts of Africa, experts say.
Intricate nature
Communities living in wildlife areas complain that the wild animals stray into their farms and settlements while experts believe poaching and destruction of the animals' habitats are the main reason for the conflicts.
‘‘Human life is highly dependent on ecosystems and ecosystem services for survival. And so in my own view, wildlife and human life need each other to complement and to exist. So you wouldn't prioritise one over the other. I don't think it is as straightforward as such,'' Mutisya says.
''There is a place that the human beings occupy in the system. And there is a place for wildlife. So, the two should seek to exist more than compete. It's important for us to appreciate that nature is very intricate,'' he adds.
Experts believe interplay or interaction between various creatures in the ecosystem ensures the balance required for sustainable life but acknowledge that conservation is costly.
''If Kenya for example neglects the agreements that are there on biodiversity and reduction of carbon and other greenhouse gases, then we are one step backward as a global community. We need to act together. We need to have available resources,’’ the Mutisya explains.
Scientists offer hope
One of the challenges against the growth in the population of the northern white rhinos has been their slow reproduction.
Behind the scenes, an extraordinary effort is underway to ensure the survival of the northern white rhino. Scientists, conservationists, and dedicated caretakers have strategised to save the endangered animals from extinction.
They been using artificial reproduction techniques, in a bid to boost the population of the subspecies.
‘‘Upon checking why the animals were not conceiving, we discovered that the younger female had a pathology or a disease condition within the uterus that could not allow for natural conception,'' Mutisya says.
''We realised that we were even lucky the other female did not conceive because then she would not have carried pregnancy to full term because of challenges of structural integrity of the animal. The back quarters or the back legs are weaker, not able to support pregnancy to full term,'' he explains.
The techniques
In October 2015, experts in Berlin started collecting eggs from southern white rhinos and sending them to Italy.
Later scientists perfected a technique to create a viable embryo. Researchers extracted Naji and Fatu eggs - the remaining northern white rhinos - in August 2019 for fertilisation with the sperm of a male southern white rhino.
This has given the researchers hope that a northern white rhino will be able to carry a southern white rhino to term because the two species pregnancy term are of the same length.
Filling the gap
Saving the white rhinos will not only help in boosting wildlife, it will also promote ecotourism.
This will generate revenues for governments and local communities as well as raise awareness about the importance of preserving these magnificent creatures and their habitats.
''There is a massive opportunity that we can fill in the gap of rewilding this white rhinos and not only from a conservation and a biological sort of aspect, but also to sort of contribute towards ecosystems,'' Don Jooste Rhino Rewilding Project Manager at the conservation organisation African Parks says.
Preserving the northern white rhino is not just about protecting an animal, it's about safeguarding our heritage, our ecosystem, and the delicate balance of nature, conservationists stress.
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