i think that giving $ will not change much, taking action would do more good, for the poeple that are not near them, taking a vote to save the species, with enugh votes, the goverment of where they are would be able to see that people would really want to keep them there and they would be able to fund for the securaty of the 4 till it reaches a high #, high enugh to take the spieces off of the endangered spieces list

..err, no. This money is going directly to funding artificial ensemenation. If they don't make any little rhinos, you can vote all day long on the internet, but you don't get much more 'direct action' than 'make more rhinos'.

Also three of the last rhinos are privately owned- because the government didn't do anything about it. So a guy bought them. And owns them. Vote all you want, it won't do shit. Give the guy money, he'll try his best to save the species.

you cannot save a species with 4 individuals as sad as it is. the gene pool already is way too small then, especially if they're not healthy
:(

Yeah, the worst part is the last 4 are all related, so the gene pool would be, uh, not great. The last male is like the dad/granddad of two of the remaining females.

What the hell, we're down to 4? With only one male left?
...I would ask what the hell happened, but i guess my personal not paying attention to this, and consequently our colective not paying attention, is to blame. :(

The bush meat trade happened :(

*buries his face in his hands*

GET ME OFF THIS F***ING PLANET!

sometimes I say that.. way to often

The northern whites are not a separate species from the southern whites. They are a subspecies of Ceratotherium simum. Their differentiation is from a very very old method of genetic classification. So for what it's worth the species is overall still alive and well and will be for some time.

Oh yeah? That's good to know, at least. I know the southern was almost extinct a century ago but thanks to conservation bounced back. No idea what their current pop is. The sumatran rhino went exintct this week, too(In the wild)- no surprise there, though. I reckon sumatran tigers, then orangutans are next. That whole islands biodiversity is taking a dive(Thanks palm oil). Javan rhinos have more stringent regulations around them and more active conservation, so despite the smaller population hopefully it'll remain healthy in the wild for a while.

It seems they are genetically distinct from one another: http://scienceblogs.com/tetrapodzoo.....ern-day-rhino/

That's what they're doing. They're going to take Sudan's sperm, and attempt to ensemenate a southern white female. Hopefully produce some males.

what about the ones in the zoos? surely they can start a egg and sperm saving system to enable the 4 wild ones a better pull from the gene pool

I think one of the 4 is in a zoo? The other 3 are owned by a guy on his private land.

Ah the other male white that was in a zoo died this july, yeah you're right. I wish I could but I just don't have money. :L

Not to sound bad, but I put up a gofundme for my dad because he lost his leg and might loose his home, and only have $150 after 3 weeks...