“…my sadness and the essence of losing you is overcome by a contentment that I gave you all the best. Sudan I don’t regret anything as deep within my heart I gave you everything.

What I regret most, is whether my fellow humanity has learned from your existence. i tried as much to help them hear you through my thoughts and the lessons I learned through our personal day to day life, though still my voice has been small, I have testimonies that you have left an imprint in the hearts of many especially those I interacted with”.

–James Mwenda, the closest human to Sudan

While the world is mourning to the death of Sudan, the last male northern white rhino of the world, no one can express his loss in its truest sense other than James Mwenda.

As a conservationist and a compassionate care giver at Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Mwenda was the closest to Sudan from feeding him breakfast in the morning to guarding him against poachers and paying close attention to health needs of the aging rhino, who in human years was 90 years old and survived human dangers till death shortly after his birth in 1973.

This tribute by Mwenda literally made us tear. We share some excerpts as a testimony and a message to humanity, “It is still not too late to let love win over hatred and greed.” #savewildlife #saveourplanet

“Good bye Sudan,I don’t need to say it here that I loved you .you know it well from all the talks and the moments we had together, being with you for the last few years completely changed me, and as you taught me daily I continued to teach and inspire my fellow humans to be conscious and sensitive of our environment. i promised to be your voice(I ain’t sure whether I duly and diligently fulfilled that) but I did my best.

If I was powerful in the face of earth and conservation world 19/03/18 would be “Sudan, the legend day” a day when parents should take their kids out and teach them how and why we need to embrace the environment. a day where a pic of Sudan could be presented in classroom and have the kids draw Him, so that they are conscious of extinction and how Sudan’s existence meant. a day what we could ask those we know what they knew about the environment.

I never expected to hear a thank you from you ,no rewards,no clapping for congratulations, no job well done words,and no praise for it. sometimes the commitment, sacrifice and love of an animal can only be know by the animal,God and the caretaker only catalyzed by the bond they share and the affection.

On the other side of life. greet Lola,Saut,Nasima,Nabire and the rest of the rhinos,tell them that some humans still upholds the madness that rhino horn is a cure. but their are others that still are fighting for your future.

I will try my best to honor all that we talked about and live for what you have taught me.

R.I.P Sudan”