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Horny and looking for love, world's last male northern white rhino joins Tinder

By Thomas Page, CNN

Updated 1325 GMT (2125 HKT) April 26, 2017

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Sudan, the world's last remaining male northern white rhino, has joined Tinder in a bid to successfully breed and save the species.
Photos: The great white rhino hope
Sudan, the world's last remaining male northern white rhino, has joined Tinder in a bid to successfully breed and save the species.
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In Kenya, where the three remaining northern white rhinos live, armed guards prevent poaching.
Photos: The great white rhino hope
In Kenya, where the three remaining northern white rhinos live, armed guards prevent poaching.
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Sudan is one of a handful of northern white rhinos left worldwide.
Photos: The great white rhino hope
Sudan is one of a handful of northern white rhinos left worldwide.
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As the only male, the fate of the subspecies depends on Sudan. Though he is too old to mate, scientists are hoping to impregnate other females using his sperm.
Photos: The great white rhino hope
As the only male, the fate of the subspecies depends on Sudan. Though he is too old to mate, scientists are hoping to impregnate other females using his sperm.
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In addition to round-the-clock security, the conservancy has put radio transmitters on the animals and dispatches incognito rangers into neighboring communities to gather intelligence on poaching.
Photos: The great white rhino hope
In addition to round-the-clock security, the conservancy has put radio transmitters on the animals and dispatches incognito rangers into neighboring communities to gather intelligence on poaching.
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Rhinos are targeted by poachers, fueled by the belief in Asia that their horns cure various ailments.
Photos: The great white rhino hope
Rhinos are targeted by poachers, fueled by the belief in Asia that their horns cure various ailments.
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White Rhino 102 Sudan white rhino 0416Suni last northern white rhinorhino extinct northern whiteirpt white rhinorhinos without borders dead rhino

(CNN)In search of a hook up that might well save his species, the world's last male northern white rhino has taken to dating app Tinder.

With 1 male left worldwide, northern white rhinos under guard 24 hours
With 1 male left worldwide, northern white rhinos under guard 24 hours
Showing that a lack of opposable thumbs is no barrier to finding love in the twenty-first century, Sudan -- who lives in Kenya -- has been dubbed "the most eligible bachelor in the world" by the team caring for him. But while he has two potential suitors remaining, he needs the internet's help to make the magic happen.
    With armed guards keeping him under surveillance 24/7, dating conditions have not been ideal. As such he's been granted special privileges, and Tinder has made him a profile available all over the world.
    "It's going to be broadcast in 190 countries and in 40 languages," says Mathieu Plassard of communications agency Ogilvy Africa. "(It's) the first time that Tinder has done something like (this)."
    The Ol Pejeta Conservancy, in charge of Sudan's care, hope to raise funds for one final attempt to save the imperiled species. No spring chicken, 43-year-old Sudan has failed to successfully mate with the two female northern white rhinos left, and the conservancy is seeking funding for in-vitro fertilization (IVF).
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    "I don't mean to be too forward, but the fate of my species literally depends on me," reads Sudan's profile. Tinder users who swipe right will be directed to a site where the public can donate to help Sudan on his mission to go forth and multiply.
    Rhino joins Tinder to find a mate
    endangered rhino goes on tinder to find a mate holmes pkg_00014527

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    Donation is the UK and Europe are being processed by Virgin Money, in the US by CrowdRise and in Kenya by popular mobile service MPesa.
    "We've got an awfully long way to go, a 10, possibly even 15-year program to recover this species," says Richad Vigne, chief executive of the conservancy. "We estimate it will cost somewhere in the region of nine-to-10 million dollars."
    Record number of rhinos slaughtered last year in Africa
    Record number of rhinos slaughtered last year in Africa
    Donations will help pay for ongoing research into Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART) conducted by institutes in the US, Germany and Japan. If all goes to plan, scientists hope to create a herd of 10 northern white rhinos after five years of IVF treatment.
    So far the hulking giant is going down well with Tinder-dom. Users have swiped right in such numbers they crashed the donation website hours after the rhino's profile went live.
    Sudan may weigh 5,000 lbs, but he's still got it.