Angalifu, at the San Diego Zoo
Sad news from San Diego. Angalifu, a white rhino, has passed away, edging the animals
ever closer to extinction:
"With Angalifu's passing, only five northern white rhinos are left on the planet, including Nola, our elderly female," the zoo said in a statement.
He was one of a handful of northern white rhinos left worldwide, including a few at a wildlife conservancy in Kenya. There are no known northern white rhinos left in the wild.
Sadly, poachers have played a huge role in their demise:
Experts say that rhino horn is becoming more lucrative than drugs. The demand is driven primarily by buyers in East Asia, who believe it cures a series of ailments.
Organized crime syndicates are using military-grade helicopters, night-vision equipment and guns fitted with silencers, taking rhino poaching to a whole new level and leaving conservationists struggling to keep up.
It seems like it is only a matter of time before they are gone entirely.