Najin and Fatu: The Two Remaining Northern White Rhinos in the World

There are now only two northern white rhinos left in the world. Naji and Fatu, both females live in Kenya’s Ol Pejeta Conservancy. The two rhinos are among the four of that kind which were moved to the conservancy in December 2009, from a zoo in the Czech Republic.

Najin, her daughter Fatu, her father Sudan, and another male northern white rhino, Suni, were airlifted to Kenya and transferred to a 700-acre enclosure in the Ol Pejeta Conservancy. This was motivated by the strong gains made by Kenya in repopulating the black rhino.

It was believed that the pleasant tropical climate in Kenya and the rich grasslands of Ol Pejeta Conservancy would provide favorable breeding conditions for the animals. The conservancy took a steady initiative in providing security around the clock, a nutritious diet, and good medical care.

The northern white rhinoceros is one of the subspecies of white rhino formerly found in several countries in East and Central Africa. So, why are there only two remaining? Let me take you through the history and possible scenarios that can save these gentle giants from extinction.

The biggest setback

There were hopes in 2012 when Suni, one of the males, was seen mating with Najin but she did not conceive. Suni died in 2014 due to natural causes and left Sudan as the only male but he had a low sperm count. He also died 4 years later with no offspring, after months of months of poor health.

Vets also confirmed that the two females are not fit to reproduce naturally, Najin’s back legs are too weak to carry a pregnancy and Fatu has problems with her uterus but she can produce oocytes (immature eggs) which scientist hopes to use in saving the subspecies.

Extracting oocytes from the only viable female northern white rhino is a complicated process. It’s a delicate procedure, performed under general anesthesia. What’s more, all of the northern white embryos created so far come from just three ‘parent’ animals; one female and two males.

The hope

Researchers were able to save some of Sudan’s genetic materials which they intend to use in the development of an in vitro fertilization. This is a new technology where eggs and sperm are fused in a laboratory dish. Although it has never been attempted in rhinos, scientists are clinging on to their hope. 

The northern white rhino has a close cousin called the southern white rhino. Two of them have been earmarked by the conservancy as surrogates. Scientists are exploring the option of implanting them with one of their northern white rhino embryos.

The other challenge that scientists are facing in this approach is that embryos created so far come from just the three ‘parent’ animals, Suni, Sudan, and Fatu. Any calves born would be siblings or half-siblings, a scenario that would allow inbreeding if they are allowed to mate.

Why are rhinos endangered?

Rhinos are the second largest land mammals after elephants. Despite being members of the Big 5 game, their populations have been critically reduced due to poaching fueled by demand for their horns commonly used in traditional Chinese Medicine and for dagger handles in Yemen.

The northern white rhinos were largely wiped out in their natural habitats that occurred in Chad, the Central African Republic, Sudan, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo during the poaching crisis of the 1970s and 1980s. Civil wars and habitat loss also contributed to this problem.

The white rhinos and black rhinos in other parts of the continent were also not lucky. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), roughly a quarter of the world’s population of rhinos has been killed in South Africa, home to 80% of the remaining animals.

How are Najin and Fatu protected?

In addition to the last two remaining northern white rhinos, Ol Pejeta is home to over 165 critically endangered black rhinos, as well as a sanctuary for rescued chimpanzees. The entire 90,000-acre has over 1,000 mammals including elephants, cheetahs, lions, leopards, and Grevy’s zebra among others.

The Conservancy utilizes a number of approaches to safeguard the existence of these beautiful creatures and their habitats. 

Highly trained rangers work tirelessly in shifts to conduct daily patrols that deter poachers. This includes the use of trained dogs and smart fence monitors. Ol Pejeta Conservancy has also partnered with international veterinary experts and researchers to ensure rhinos receive proper medical care. 

How to get to Ol Pejeta Conservancy

Ol Pejeta Conservancy is located in Nanyuki, between the Aberdares and the foot of snow-capped Mount Kenya. It is a 3-4 hour drive from Nairobi. The easiest way to the destination is by taking scheduled flights from Nairobi to Nanyuki airstrip, which is a 45-minute drive away.