Angalifu, Northern White Rhino, Dies; Only 5 More Exist on Earth

Angalifu, one of a handful of rare northern white rhinos in existence, has died at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, leaving only five known animals in the species left on Earth.

Even before the death of the rhino, the International Union for Conservation of Nature declared the northern white rhino as "teetering on the brink of extinction."

"It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we inform you that Angalifu passed away today," the zoo said in a statement. "He was 44 years old and under veterinary care for geriatric conditions for some time. With Angalifu's passing, only five northern white rhinos are left on the planet, including Nola, our elderly female. The loss of this animal is a tragedy, so we ask you to share condolences with our staff."

KSWB-TV reported that, along with Nola, there is another northern white rhino in the Czech Republic and three others in a conservancy in Kenya. Angalifu came to San Diego from Sudan in the 1980s, but attempts to breed Angalifu and Nola weren't successful, according to the television station.

Semen and testicular tissue from Angalifu are being stored at the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research for possible use with the rhinos in Kenya when new reproductive technologies are developed, according to the Los Angeles Times.

There are no northern white rhinos in the wild as poaching continues to be a serious problem and the black market brings in billions of dollars annually, reported USA Today.

The newspaper reported that an estimated $19 billion is made off wildlife poaching on a yearly basis. A kilogram of elephant ivory can run $2,000 and a rhino horn can bring $65,000.

There are several contributing factors for the continued black market, despite condemnation of the practice in many country, wrote USA Today, including trans-African corruption, extreme poverty, poor law enforcement capabilities and weak judicial enforcement.

Because of that, poaching has only increased in face of growing international pressure to end the practice, with nearly 60,000 elephants and more than 1,600 rhinos killed for their ivory in the past two years, noted USA Today.

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