Prague, [News Date] – The extinction of the northern white rhinoceros was formally sealed in 2018 with the death of Nabire, the last male of the species, at Dvůr Králové Zoo in the Czech Republic. The 31-year-old rhino, born in captivity, breathed his last in March, marking the end of a lineage that once roamed central Africa's savannas.
Zoo officials confirmed Nabire's passing was due to age-related complications, following a gradual decline in health. "He was more than an animal—he was a symbol of our fight to reverse extinction," said zoo director Přemysl Rabas. In a poignant move, his body was preserved as a taxidermy specimen, now on display to educate visitors about biodiversity loss.
The northern white rhino's demise stems from decades of poaching, driven by illegal demand for rhino horns in Asian markets, where they are falsely believed to have medicinal properties, and habitat destruction from human expansion. By the early 2000s, wild populations had been hunted to near-extinction, with fewer than 30 remaining.
Only two female northern white rhinos survive today, both in Kenya's Ol Pejeta Conservancy, under 24-hour armed guard. Scientists continue efforts to save the species via in vitro fertilization using preserved sperm, but prospects remain grim.
Conservation groups have called Nabire's death a "warning bell." "This isn't just about rhinos—it's a test of humanity's commitment to coexist with nature," stated Dr. Sarah Durant of the Zoological Society of London. "We failed Nabire, but we must act to save other species teetering on the brink."
The specimen serves as a stark reminder: extinction is permanent. As visitors gaze at Nabire's preserved form, the message is clear—biodiversity loss is accelerating, and time to act grows short.
