The world’s LAST male northern white rhino, Sudan, is looking for love in unexpected places. This old bachelor is trying a new trick in his final chance to find a viable mate to save the species. Like today’s lonely hearts, Sudan is looking to Tindr to save white rhinos everywhere!
I’d swipe right. Sudan’s profile reads, “I don’t mean to be too forward, but the fate of the species literally depends on me.” The campaign is appropriately being called, “The Most Eligible Bachelor in the World.”
The 43-year old rhino has tried to mate multiple times with his female companions in Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya. Due to his old age, his little swimmers just aren’t fast enough. Female white rhinos reach sexual maturity around four years of age and then reproduce around seven. Males are ready to repopulate by age eight and in the wild, normally have a life cycle of 40 years… that being said, even Rhino-viagra can’t help this old chap with fertilization. So how does making a Tindr profle help a rhino past his prime?
Tindr is helping spread the word and encourage donations for what could be the last hope the species has. Since natural mating hasn’t resulted in a pregnancy they are turning to a more scientific approach that hasn’t be done yet for rhinos. Ol Pejeta Conservancy want to try something like an in-vitro method. While it’s “common” for humans to do this process, it’s more difficult with rhinos, especially one that has already lived past his life expectancy. With potency so low, this can take a lot of research, an estimated $9 -10 million.
Tindr is making Sudan’s profile appear in 190 countries and over 40 languages. They hope this campaign will help raise the money wildlife researchers in Kenya need to let the species survive.
It must be working. On Tuesday, the Ol Pejeta Conservancy site crashed from the amount of activity on it. If you’d like to make a financial contribution, click HERE.
Can’t make a contribution? Share this story and spread awareness.
#SwipeRightForRhinos
Why are White Rhino’s so close to extinction?
Dehorning of a rhinoceros
In colonial times in South Africa, there were no poaching laws. People would kill white rhinos and use their horns for medical purposes. It used to be believed that horn powder could cure a range of illnesses,anything from a hangover to cancer.
Today there are poaching laws in place, but still just as many people willing to break the law to make money off of the now-rare, white rhino. In parts of Vietnam, the wealthy will consume horn powder for non-medical reasons, purely to show status.
In recent years, hundreds of white rhinos have been illegally poached. Since they reproduce slowly (16 month gestation period,) and space out around 5 years between breedings in the wild, (even longer in captivity,) it made it nearly impossible to recover their population.
Yes, that means this species to nearing extinction because of human greed.
Sudan has been removed from captivity (to increase chance of breeding) and is under observation with a 24/7 armed guard service to protect him from the native poachers.
You can help! Click HERE!
