'I don’t mean to be too forward, but the fate of my species literally depends on me,' reads Sudan’s profile on Tinder.
This may sound like a line, but it really isn't. Sudan is the last male northern white rihno, and he's on Tinder.
To help save his species from extinction, Tinder has joined OI Pejeda conservancy in Kenya in a campaign which seeks to raise $9 million. Users who come across Sudan’s profile and swipe right will get a message with a link to the donations site.
The 42-year old, now Tinder star, lives in a conservatory along Najin and Fatu, the last two female white rhinos. Their species is at risk of disappearance since, in the past years, the animals have been killed for their horns, which are used in traditional Asian medicines.
This makes Sudan the northern white rhino’s last hope, as carers and scientist hoping he can breed with his female peers. This, however, has been not possible due to Sudan’s advanced age and low sperm count.
Scientist are actively testing assisted reproductive technologies in Sudan, Najin and Fatu, to help carry out pregnancies. Female Southern white rhinos have also been included, and although the match won’t result in a 100% southern white rhino offspring, this alternative is much better than extinction. With the necessary funds, scientist would be able to carry on the in-vitro process, and, if successful, the world might welcome a herd of ten northern white rhinos.
Now, the dating site, with reportedly over 25 million users, could be Sudan's hope. A spokesperson from the company spoke with Mashable about their commitment to the northern white rhino's mission: 'As a platform that makes millions of meaningful connections every day, raising awareness about Sudan the Rhino and the importance of finding his match seemed like something we could support in a really impactful way,' adding, 'We've heard countless stories about Tinder babies, but this would be the first match to save a species.'
To anyone surprised by Tinder’s display of solidarity, don’t forget that the dating app is no stranger to supporting good causes. Back in 2014, the company raised awareness on child and forced marriage across the world in partnership with Amnesty and most recently, it allowed users to donate $100 to women charities on International Women’s Day.
Photo: Glyn Edmunds/REX/Shuttershock
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.