Endangered African Species [Travel]

The recent death of the last male Northern White Rhinoceros named Sudan has sparked anew the conversation that there are a lot of endangered species in Africa.

Africa is indeed rich in wildlife and previously unfound species, but because of the unique view of Africans on animals mostly as mere game, many of the rare species die out within centuries.

Many species that are today endangered are as a result of poaching, loss of natural habitat due to deforestation and ultimate displacement.

These animals retreat farther into the wilds that are still available while steadily dying out due to disease and starvation.

With the recent death of 45-year old rhino, Sudan, who during its lifetime was in Ol pejeta wildlife conservation, Kenya, many animal experts are worried about the dwindling numbers of native African wild life, fearing that they may go forever extinct.
The 45-year-old rhinoceros, while euthanized was already failing in health and is the last male of its kind.

Even though it was shared that before its death sperm samples had been taken from it, the huge hurdles facing scientists is that the two remaining female northern white rhinos cannot gestate the next generation because one is sterile and the other is not physically capable of carrying a calf to full term.

This further reduces an already slim chance of reproduction, cutting down the available options to having a pure northern white rhino baby to do an ovum pick-up. This is a process of collecting eggs from the females. The fertilized eggs would then be implanted in a southern white rhino, who would carry the calf to term.

This procedure is crossing boundaries that have never before been approached, and the chances of failure are enormous. Any mistake or miscalculation could bring the species to extinction.

Currently, many animals like the African elephant, the African penguin, the African lion, cheetah, black rhinoceros, African wild dog, pygmy hippopotamus, mountain gorilla, Ethiopian wolf, addax aka white antelope; are endangered with fewer being sighted daily.

A recent story broke in Nigeria of an elephant that was killed in Idanre, Ondo State, and that sparked a lot of mixed reactions.

While some described it as self-defense since the head hunter in the village in Idanre said he led others to kill one of the eight elephants that invaded the communities at midnight, others have maintained that it was a criminal act.

While many animal lovers have called for the hunters to be prosecuted for the crime of killing the rampaging elephant, many wished the elephant had survived so that those who had never seen an elephant before would have the opportunity.
Well that does it for this week, do enjoy the rest of the viewing.