Following the death of Nola the Northern White Rhino at the San Diego Zoo, only three Northern White Rhinos remain in the world.
Nola, who was transferred to the San Diego Zoo from the Czech Republic in 1989, had been under medical care since September. The 41-year-old rhino also underwent surgery for a chronic infection earlier this month. Though initial reports stated that Nola was returning to her normal habits following the surgery, the zoo announced via Facebook that Nola was euthanized after a bacterial infection developed.
Northern White Rhinos are at extreme risk due in part to poaching. Only three of the species remain under 24/7 watch at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya.
Though the future of this species looks very bleak, researchers at the San Diego Zoo and Ol Pejeta Conservancy have been studying rhinos genetic makeup and are hopeful their stem cell research will lead to surrogate pregnancies.
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