As the world continues to mourn the death of Sudan, the last male northern white rhinoceros, Kenyan fashion stylist Annabel Onyango has paid one of the most beautiful tributes to the fallen gentle giant.
Sudan was put down on Monday after a bout of age-related complications that led to degenerative changes in muscles and bones combined with extensive skin wounds. He died aged 45.
Taking to social media to remember Sudan, Annabel Onyango revealed how the ‘The Lone Bachelor’ as he was fondly nicknamed, represented a beautiful coalescence of the Czech Republic and Kenya to her marriage with Czech-born Marek Fuchs, Sauti Sol’s manager.
The couple who both work for Sauti Sol visited Sudan at Ol Pejeta on their one-year wedding anniversary. Annabel revealed that she was pregnant during the visit but tragically lost their baby that same week due to a miscarriage.
“Marek and I took a trip on our 1-year wedding anniversary to visit Sudan, who Marek said could understand Czech because he had lived there for so long. To us, Sudan represented a beautiful coalescence of Czech Republic and Kenya (kinda like our marriage). In this image, I am also pregnant with our baby who we tragically lost that same week to a miscarriage. There are so many emotions tied up here,” wrote Annabel.
Annabel went on to extend the couple’s heartfelt condolences to the team at Ol Pejeta for their tireless efforts towards animal conservation.
Read her full tribute below:
“Yesterday, Sudan passed away. He was the last remaining male Northern White Rhino in the world.
My mother-in-law Gita Fuchsova facilitated his transfer from a Czech zoo to Olpejeta in Kenya where they hoped to breed more endangered Northern Whites; due to a number of factors, the mission was unsuccessful.
In this image, Marek and I took a trip on our 1-year wedding anniversary to visit Sudan, who Marek said could understand Czech because he had lived there for so long. To us, Sudan represented a beautiful coalescence of Czech Republic and Kenya (kinda like our marriage).
In this image, I am also pregnant with our baby who we tragically lost that same week to a miscarriage. There are so many emotions tied up here.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to the human team at olpejeta for their tireless efforts towards animal conservation. It’s a magical place to visit due to the sheer volume of wildlife.
We thank them for allowing us to get this close to this treasure Sudan (can you imagine touching a live rhino!) that they were safeguarding for all of humanity. We have our new beginning in our baby Kenzo who was born one year later. As conservationists scramble to use Sudan’s DNA to reproduce more Northern White Rhinos, we pray theirs will come too ? #RememberingSudan #WorthMoreAlive.”
