Sudan

The sun rises. I’m the last one.

At least, that’s what these strange two-legged animals say. They think I can’t understand what they say, but I know why they’re here. They’re afraid of their own people, and that’s why they came to my territory. I protect them.

They took away my horn. I would have never used it against them, because I know they’re not the same humans that killed my people… but these creatures don’t understand much about life, and they’re afraid of everything. I think it’s because they hunt one another. We rhinoceroses would never do such a thing.

The humans I care for call me Sudan, and I’m the last northern white rhinoceros. I tried to defend my loved ones, but there was nothing I could do against those thunder sticks. Now, the hunters have no more rhinoceroses, and my humans are afraid that they’ll go after them instead.

But I’m getting old; soon I won’t be able to take care of them. They stay by my side day and night, just like calves do with their mothers. They’re afraid to lose me, because without me they wouldn’t be able to survive. I can feel it in their smell, they’re terrified. They’re always carrying their thunder sticks, but they never use them against me. I think they carry them because they want to protect me, just like I did to save my family.

I’m worried about my little humans… I don’t know what will happen to them when all rhinoceroses are gone…

Nieve Andrea, 2015