Rare rhino to get burial befitting king of the jungle

Conservationists will give Sudan - the world’s last male northern white rhino - an elaborate sendoff to keep his memories alive.

“Lead experts are still consulting on possible options on what to do with the remains. Preserving the remains is also an option for future reference although a final decision is yet to be made,” said Mr Samuel Mutisya, head of Wildlife at Ol Pejeta Conservancy.

One of the options is using taxidermy, the preserving of an animal’s body via stuffing or mounting for the purpose of display or study. Animals are often portrayed in a lifelike state - taxidermy - an option which museums often use as a method to record species - including those that are extinct and threatened. Final decisions, according to Ol Pejeta head of Digital marketing Jerry Sellanga, will be announced on Monday.

“Lead consultants from Dv?r Králové Zoo in Czech Republic, Olpejeta and the Kenya Wildlife Service are exploring options on what will be done,” Mr Sellanga said.

He said the final decision will be announced by Ol Pejeta CEO Richard Vigne.

“The CEO will announce the final decisions made by the team on Monday,” Mr Sallanga said.

Mr Sellanga said veterinary officers have compiled post-mortem reports on Sudan’s death. Sudan died on Monday aged 45 from age-related complications. Sudan’s burial will be unique, just like his other 16 predecessors whose tombstones have been put up at Morani Cemetery within the conservancy to raise awareness on poaching.

Morani a black rhino who died in 2008 due to natural causes, graced the sanctuary for 19 years, creating enormous awareness on black rhino conservation.

At the cemetery, that host 16 tombstones of rhinos since 2004, tombstones bearing the fallen giants’ name are put up with inscriptions on the cause of death and the years lived.

Special message is written to remind visitors how precious and unique the animals were.

Before laying down a ‘fallen giant’ horns are removed in cases where poachers did not manage to get away with them. The horns are then handed over to the Kenya Wildlife Service as trophies.

“The tombstones are a reminder of how illegal poaching is fast depleting the rhinos and of the devastation of the illegal wildlife trade. It is also an inspiration to all who visit to continue supporting rhinoconservation,” Mr Samuel Mutisya, head of Wildlife at Ol Pejeta Conservancy said.

Sudan’s plaque, just like the other fallen giants, will be installed at the cemetery to continue raising awareness on the endangered species.

Although rhino horns is made up primarily of keratin, a protein found in hair, fingernails and animal hooves, misconceptions on the power of rhino horn products continue to fuel the killings.

Facts

Asia’s appetite for rhino horn is so great that it now fetches up to $100,000/kg, making it worth more than its weight in gold. Horns average around 1-3 kg each, depending on the species.

In the meantime, rhino poaching has escalated in recent years and is being driven by the demand for rhino horn in Asian countries, particularly Vietnam.

It is used in traditional Chinese medicine but more and more commonly now it is used as a status symbol to display someone’s success and wealth.