There are now only six northern white rhinos left in the world.

Death of endangered northern white rhino leaves only six left in the world

An endangered northern white rhino has died in Kenya, a wildlife conservation centre has announced, meaning that there are only now only six of the animals left in the world.

Suni was one of four northern whites residing at Ol Pejeta Conservancy in the Laikipia district of central Kenya. Born 34 years ago at the Dvůr Králové Zoo, he was the first-ever northern white rhinos to be born into captivity. Along with one other male and two females, Suni was translocated from the zoo to Ol Pejeta in 2009.

Suni was found dead by Ol Pejeta rangers on the 17 October.  The cause of his sudden death is yet to be established, but the conservancy say that Suni was not a victim of poaching.

Only six northern white rhinos are now left in the world. Suni was one of the last two breeding males and no northern white rhinos are known to have survived in the wild. As a consequence, the species now stands on the edge of complete extinction.

In a statement on their website, Ol Pejeta Conservancy said that they will continue to do what they can can work with the remaining three rhinos at the centre, in the hope that their efforts will one day result in the successful birth of a northern white rhino calf.

Vets from the Kenya Wildlife Service will conduct a post-mortem as soon as possible. In 2006, Suni's father died of natural causes at the same age.

Image (C) Ol Pejeta Conservancy.