By Megan Thompson / Source: Ecorazzi

Yet another heavy blow was felt by one of the world’s most threatened species – the nearly extinct white rhino – when one of the last two living males died in San Diego, California, this week. The 44-year-old rhino, named Angalifu, died from age-related ailments on Monday after being in poor health and refusing food for several days.

Due to heavy poaching in recent years and the ever-rising demand for elephant ivory and rhino horns in countries such as China, white rhinos are currently extinct in the wild. For years, these rhinos, which are the largest of their kind, have been slaughtered for their horns and to be used for their supposed medicinal properties (which have been disproved by scientists, but are still used superstitiously in many Asian countries). Now that Angalifu has passed away, only three females and one male remain alive in captivity.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Read more @ Ecorazzi