One Of 7 Northern White Rhinos Left In The World Dies In Kenya

Enlarge this image toggle caption Riccardo Gangale/AP Riccardo Gangale/AP

Northern white rhinos are one step closer to extinction, after one of only two breeding males known to exist was found dead at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya.

In a statement, the conservancy said Suni, 34, had not been poached, but they had not yet determined why the rhino died. It continued:

"The Kenya Wildlife Service vets will conduct a post mortem as soon as possible. In 2006, his father Saút died in the Dvur Kralove Zoo by natural causes at the same age as Suni was now. "There are now only six northern white rhinos left in the world. Suni was one of the last two breeding males in the world and no northern white rhinos are known to have survived in the wild. Consequently the species now stands at the brink of complete extinction, a sorry testament to the greed of the human race."

The Guardian adds: