全球最后一头雄性白犀牛

Meet Sudan, The World's Last Known Northern White Male Rhino

全球最后一头雄性白犀牛

Over the years, numerous animal and bird species have become extinct. However, it is rare for the entire world to witness one as it is happening. This could very well be the case with the northern white rhinos given that there are currently only five known specimens left. What's worse is that only one, a 42-year-old named Sudan is male! If he passes away without producing an offspring, the rhino sub-species will soon disappear.

多年来，无数动物和鸟类灭绝。不过全世界都在亲历一个物种的消失，这种事情还是比较少见的。这个物种就是北部白犀牛，目前仅存五头。最糟糕的是，现在仅存一头叫苏丹的雄性白犀牛。如果它在繁衍子嗣之前死去，白犀牛就会彻底灭绝。

The massive 1.2-ton animal shares his 300-hectare enclosure with two female northern white rhinos, Najin and Fatu. The naturalists are hoping that he will take a fancy to one of them and produce an heir. Given Sudan's advanced age, Zoo veterinarians are also scrambling to find a way to keep the sub-species alive using alternative reproductive techniques.

这个1.2吨重的家伙生活在300公顷的围栏里，与另外两头雌性白犀牛Najin和Fatu为伴。自然学家希望它能与其中一头繁衍子嗣。考虑到苏丹的高龄，动物园的兽医正在竭尽所能找出人工繁殖的方法。

Once found in abundance in several countries in East and Central Africa south of the Sahara, the population of this rhino sub-species has declined drastically in the last twenty years. In the 1960's there were an estimated 2000 of the magnificent animals roaming around in the wild. By 1984, ruthless poachers had reduced their numbers to fifteen and now, just five remain! In fact, the only reason Sudan is perhaps still alive is that most of his life was spent tucked away in a Czechoslovakian zoo.

过去20年，在东非和中非撒哈拉沙漠南边的国家发现大量白犀牛之后，它们的数量就开始锐减。20世纪60年代，据估计还存活2000多头野生白犀牛，到了1984年，残忍的偷猎者就把它们杀害到只剩下15头，而到现在只有5头还活着了！事实上，苏丹之所以能活这么大年纪，也是因为大半辈子都躲在了捷克斯洛伐克公园里的缘故。

Of course, the northern white rhino is not the only one facing extinction. All rhino species are being ruthlessly hunted down for their horns! Though made from Keratin, the same material as human nails, they are believed to be a cure for many ailments by the residents of Vietnam and China.

当然，北部白犀牛并不是濒临灭绝的物种之一。所有种类的犀牛都因为它们的角被残忍捕猎。虽然这些角只是由角蛋白组成，成分和人类指甲一样，还是被越南和中国民间认为是治疗许多疾病的良药。

Whether Sudan can save his clan remains to be seen. But hopefully, the growing awareness of the plight of these majestic animals will result in more protection so that future generations can enjoy the ones left as much as we do!

苏丹是否能拯救它的后代，这还有待观察。希望人们对这些巨型生物的悲惨境遇越来越多的关注能带给它们更多保护，这样我们后代还能看到它们的身影。

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