The Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Kenya, Martin Klepteko, on Friday received and handed over the taxidermy of the final male Northern white rhino, to Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officials.
KWS Deputy Director -Parks and Reserve- Samuel Tokore, among other senior officials secured the taxidermy at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
“The taxidermy returned to Kenya through a donation agreement with the Zoo Dvur Kralove in Czech Republic to raise awareness of the plight of endangered wildlife species,” KWS said in a Twitter post.
The taxidermy will officially be handed over to the National Museum of Kenya
according to KWS.
Sudan died at Ol Pejeta in March 2018 aged 45 while undergoing treatment for age-related complications.
According to the conservancy, Sudan escaped extinction in the 1970s when he was moved to Dvůr Králové Zoo and throughout his existence, significantly contributed to survival of his species as he sired two females.
During his final years, Sudan came back to Africa and stole the heart of many.
“He was a great ambassador for his species and will be remembered for the work he did to raise awareness globally of the plight facing not only rhinos, but also the many thousands of other species facing extinction as a result of unsustainable human activity,” Ol Pejeta’s CEO Richard Vigne said then.
One day, his demise will hopefully be seen as a seminal moment for conservationists worldwide.”
Sudan’s death has left only two female northern white rhinos on the planet: his daughter Najin and her daughter Fatu, both residing at Ol Pejeta.