How does it feel to be one of the few left in your own species on earth, home to estimated 1.2 million species of animals? Anthropomorphizing aside, the heartbreaking story reflects the fact that the white rhino species may never be seen after the last few left breathe their last breath.

In March 2018, the news of the death of the only male northern white rhino met with international dismay. His passing left two other female rhinos, his daughter and his granddaughter, only two of its kind on earth. It also means the high hopes put on him to revive the species shattered into pieces, for an unpredictably long term from then on, the possibility to bring its population back to the average level will be fogged with uncertainty.

Covetous demand for rhino horn stimulated the poaching that wiped out most of its population in the 1970s and 1980s. Its number plummeted unexpectedly fast. In 2014, there were only seven northern white rhinos left, all in captivity. The number shrank to four in 2015 later reduced to three shortly after until eventually to two now.

The last male white rhino was name Sudan, he was put to sleep at the age of 45, equivalent to 90 in human years, after degenerative changes in his muscles and bones. Knowing the fact that Sudan had already past the reproductive age when he was transferred from the Czech Republic to Kenya, and the two females are unable to reproduce naturally, the veterinarians collected and froze his sperm when he was alive along with four other rhinos died before him. 

The plan is to find a southern rhino surrogate to which the embryo of northern rhino will be put in and use IVF (in vitro fertilization ) to bring the hope of reviving drifting away a bit nearer despite its potentially expensive cost of over nine million U.S. dollars.

(Top image via VCG)