Four of the world’s only known eight Northern white rhinos have arrived in Kenya to begin new lives at Ol Pejeta Conservancy – the last hope to save this critically endangered rhino subspecies.

Good news – and a sigh of relief! Sudan, Suni, Najin and Fatu have landed safely in Kenya after being flown from ZOO Dvůr Králové to their new home. The return of the rhinos to Africa is considered the last chance at preserving the genetic material of the Northern white rhino (Ceratotherium simum cottoni), a rhino subspecies poached to extinction in the wild.

Rhino experts believe that the change to the rhinos’ natural environment at Ol Pejeta Conservancy will induce hormonal changes to make the females Najin and Fatu receptive to breeding. Producing hybrid calves with the the more numerous Southern white rhino (Ceratotherium simum simum) is acknowledged as one of the best chances at saving NWR genes. Ongoing AI efforts are also in reportedly in progress.

An elaborate security system at Ol Pejeta Conservancy is in place to protect the four precious rhinos from poachers. The conservancy is the largest black rhino sanctuary in East Africa and is also home to a founder population of Southern white rhinos, which produced its first white rhino calf last year.

Without conservation efforts, it is likely that all of the world’s wild rhino populations would be extinct, due to an unfortunate superstition in China – and increasingly, Vietnam – attributing medicinal properties to rhino horn. The horn is made of keratin, and actually contains no medicinal properties. Sadly, illegal trade in rhino horn is rampant in these Asian countries. The trade has escalated in recent years in conjunction with Asia’s “new wealth” and rising personal incomes – a deadly economic combination responsible for funding commercial rhino poaching operations in Africa and Asia.

Patrick Ormondi, head of species conservation and management for the Kenya Wildlife Service said via AP that the ultimate goal is to reintroduce the Northern white rhino to southern Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Cameroon.

It was also reported that Alastair Lucas, vice president of Goldman Sachs Australia, helped finance the Northern white rhinos’ journey to Kenya. Lucas was inspired to become involved with the project after learning about the plight of Africa’s rhinos during a trip to Uganda.

Fatu, Najin, Suni, and Sudan: Congratulations on your safe journey!

Related articles:

• Precious Cargo: Extremely Rare Rhinos Prepared for Move from Czech Zoo to Kenya
• Only 8 Northern White Rhinos Still Survive As Controversy Brews Among Rhino Experts

Image © FFI

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. Besides writing Rhino Horn is Not Medicine, I am the author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, the Editor of Project Pangolin, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

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See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.