The face of extinction: Image of world's last-of-its-kind male white rhino goes viral

Scientists are trying to develop IVF techniques that might keep the white rhino species alive.

Image courtesy: Daniel Schneider/Twitter

 New Delhi: Poaching, trophy hunting and climate change has wiped out the white rhino population and if an image of Sudan – the last male northern white rhino in the world – is anything to go by, it's almost as if he knows his plight.

With his head on his legs and his wide muzzle planted firmly on the ground, 44-year-old Sudan's photograph has gone viral after being posted on Twitter.

In July this year, a British zoo announced that they will be trying IVF technology to save the white rhino species from extinction. However, the breeding attempts between Sudan and the two surviving female species proved unsuccessful, the Telegraph reported.

Scientists are trying to develop IVF techniques that might keep their species alive.

The image posted on Twitter was captioned: "Want to know what extinction looks like? This is the last male Northern White Rhino. The Last. Nevermore"

Want to know what extinction looks like? This is the last male Northern White Rhino. The Last. Nevermore pic.twitter.com/o4obIQUpaR

— Daniel Schneider (@BiologistDan) November 6, 2017

In 2009, Sudan along with three other rhinos was shipped from Czech Republic to Kenya with the hope that it would be easier for them to breed on African soil.

They live under armed guard on the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya.

The photograph has received over 42,000 likes and retweets on Twitter. An outpour of tweets showed that quite a few were touched by the image.

So many species are on the brink because of human activities. Hunting, climate change, voodoo magic medicine, fur trade. List goes on.

— Alan Davis (@Socialism4Jobs) November 8, 2017

So many species are on the brink because of human activities. Hunting, climate change, voodoo magic medicine, fur trade. List goes on.

— Alan Davis (@Socialism4Jobs) November 8, 2017

He knows… perhaps. He looks so sad, his eyes say everything. Thanks for sharing.

— Такако Т. (@otterX) November 8, 2017

Humans are the worst animals, they become even more bad after they turn politicians. They don't deserve this!!! Sad!!!

— Ramurthi Naidu (@Raamurthi) November 7, 2017

White rhinos are the second largest land mammal and their name comes from the Afrikaan’s, a West Germanic language, word “weit” which means wide and refers to the animal’s muzzle.