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Last Male Northern White Rhino Sudan Remembered in Ceremony
By Sarah Gibbens March 31, 2018 https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/03/sudan-last-male-northern-white-rhino-extinct-spd/

 On march 20th, Sudan, the last male northern white rhinoceros died. The death of sudan, leaves just two of his kind left in the world. His veterinarians, conservationists and armed guards at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya held a memorial service him on the day of his death. He was 45 when he died. The problems with his health began early this year. He developed an infection, combined with age-related complications. Rhino horns are some of the most lucrative animal parts on the black market. With just over 29,000 rhinos left on earth, they are dramatically decreasing at a fast rate. __//**Relation to the course: **//__  This is related to the course because there are numbers of reasons why the Rhino population is drastically decreasing. One such is the reduction of habitat as humans continue to occupy or degreade more of the planet(Miller 691). Habitat fragmentation also reduces biodiversity. It increases the exposed surface area, which makes many species vulnerable to predator, fire, changes in microclimate, winds, and outbreaks of disease. Hunting and poaching are also a big reason why the Rhino population is on decline. They can sell for as much as 28,600 per kilogram(Miller 693). __//**My Opinion: **//__  I am very disappointed at people’s greed for ivory. Between 1973 and 1990 the population of African black rhinos dropped from approximately 63,000 to about 2,400. These magnificent animals are brutally killed just for their horns. All five species of rhinos are threatened with extinction, and as their numbers decrease, the demand for them on the black market will also increase. On April 5th, 2017, South Africa announced It will soon be legal to buy and sell rhino horn within South Africa. This act will exacerbate the poaching crisis and cause Rhino populations to decrease even faster. The South African constitutional court should reconsider its decision with updated facts. Some may claim that legalizing the sale of Rhino horn would satisfy the demand and reduce poaching, but in reality this would never happen. It would have to take a large amount of hours to flood the market and drop the prices. __//**Laws: **//__  -CITES(Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora): An agreement among 175 nations to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. Specifically the CITES national ivory action plans (NIAPs) is a practical tool that is being used to strengthen controls of ivory and ivory markets, and help combat the illegal trade in ivory.
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