Emotional Picture of An Armed Guard and One of the Last Northern White Rhinos in the World Goes Viral

A recent viral photograph of a 24-hour armed guard seated beside one of the last Northern White Rhinos in Kenya’s Ol Pejeta Conservancy has brought this critical situation into the limelight. This emotional picture highlights the desperate measures taken to protect these majestic creatures from extinction.

Extinction

The Northern White Rhino, a subspecies of the white rhinoceros, was once abundant across Central Africa. However, relentless poaching for their horns, fueled by illegal markets in Asia, has driven them to the brink of extinction. Today, only two females, Najin and Fatu, remain alive, both under 24-hour armed protection in Ol Pejeta Conservancy. The last male, Sudan, passed away in 2018; thus, tragically, this subspecies is functionally extinct.

The International Rhino Foundation has been deeply involved in efforts to save this subspecies. They invested millions in Garamba National Park, the last stronghold for wild Northern White Rhinos. Unfortunately, the park became a conflict zone. Poaching is driven by the janjaweed militia and the Lord’s Resistance Army, and has led to the closure of the conservation program.

The Janjaweed Militia

The Janjaweed militia, a group based in Sudan, has been deeply involved in the poaching of elephants in Central Africa, contributing to a significant rise in illegal killings for ivory. Their activities have had a devastating impact on elephant populations, particularly in areas like Cameroon’s Bouba N’Djida National Park, where they are blamed for the deaths of hundreds of elephants. The involvement of such military and criminal groups in ivory poaching and smuggling highlights a grim reality. The exploitation of wildlife has become part of the economy of insecurity in the region, fueling rebel groups and perpetuating cycles of violence and environmental destruction.

The Lord’s Resistance Army

The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) has been funding its activities through the lucrative poaching for ivory, particularly in Garamba National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This involvement of the LRA in poaching is part of a larger crisis in Central Africa, where various armed groups, including the Sudanese Janjaweed militia, are decimating elephant and rhino populations.

Conservation Efforts

Despite ongoing poaching, efforts to save the region’s rhino and elephant populations continue. The Southern White Rhino serves as a beacon of hope in the realm of wildlife conservation. As a distinct subspecies, it has witnessed a remarkable turnaround, thanks to concerted efforts by governments and dedicated conservationists in southern Africa. They were almost extinct with a population of less than 100 individuals. However, proactive and sustained conservation measures have successfully boosted their numbers to over 16,000. This incredible recovery stands as a testament to what can be achieved through strategic efforts and international collaboration.

Conclusion

The emotional photograph of the armed guard and the Northern White Rhino serves as a powerful reminder of the challenges and responsibilities we face in wildlife conservation. It underscores the need for continued vigilance, funding, and global cooperation to protect the irreplaceable treasures of our natural world. As we witness the potential extinction of the Northern White Rhino, we must ensure that their fate is not repeated with other endangered species.

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Cayla de Souza, M.Sc. Ocean Sciences & Marine Biology

Author at Animals Around The Globe. MSc Ocean Sciences & Marine Biology

Cayla comes from a small coastal town in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, near the renowned diving destination Aliwal Shoal, where her deep-seated passion for the ocean first took root. Family trips to the Kruger National Park are some of her favorite memories; there’s nothing quite like being surrounded by wildlife. These experiences inspired her to study the natural world and its creatures, a path she's been on for the past 5 years. She attained her undergraduate and honors degrees in marine biology and recently completed her master's degree in applied ocean sciences, majoring in oceanography.

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