nov 24 a las 7:21 P.M.
Dear
Armonía,
The past two days have been the most painful for many of us at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. And as I look across the savanna without her, a part of me is missing and I wonder . . .
I wonder if she knew how rare she was?
When I brought Nola to the Safari Park in 1989, northern white rhinos
were at critically low numbers, but I never thought that she would
become one of only four northern white rhinos left on Earth. Rhinos are
symbols of strength and power, but these gentle giants have since found
themselves in horrific trouble. And now with Nola's passing, only 3 of
her kind remain on our planet.
I wonder if she knew how loved she was? Nola
was the matriarch of our Safari Park family. Her sweet, loving, and
gentle personality was one-in-a-million! She always loved swapping a
scratch behind the ears for a slobbery kiss, and a bucket of red apples
for an afternoon pedicure. Nola often spent time at her favorite
mudhole, basking in the warm California sun, without a care a in the
world, alongside her family of keepers and her southern white rhino pal
Chuck. It was a true honor to care for Nola, and we will treasure these
moments forever.
I wonder if she knew how many people she touched? Nola was an icon—not
only at the Safari Park, but around the world! Over the past 26 years,
millions of people from around the globe have learned about Nola and the
plight of rhinos. Since her passing, we've received an outpouring of
sympathy from thousands of friends like you: YouTube videos of children
saying their tear-filled good-byes, emails of condolences from fans
worldwide, and hundreds of well wishes on Facebook, Twitter, and
Instagram using #Nola4Ever. I hope she caught even just a glimpse of the
millions she inspired and knows the impact she's had on the world.
I wonder if she knows that she will never be forgotten? I will never forget the first time we met, or the moment I had to say goodbye—it
was the hardest decision I've ever had to make. Nola has always been,
and will always be, a symbol of hope. I have dedicated my life to saving
these magnificent animals, and will continue to do so until they're
safe. We must protect them—they need us now more than ever.
San Diego Zoo Global is dedicated to bringing species back from the brink of extinction.
As leaders in rhino conservation, we are building a one-of-a-kind Rhino
Rescue Center at the Safari Park dedicated to saving Nola's species
from disappearing forever. Our team of conservationists are working with
other partners worldwide using our expertise in animal care and
cutting-edge technology to develop a surrogacy program to save the
northern white rhino.
Many
of you have asked how you can help. I promised Nola that I would carry
on her legacy, and we must do all we can to save Nola's species. You
can become part of her legacy and help us save rhinos worldwide by
making a gift to the San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy in Nola's
honor. Will you join us?
On
behalf of all of us at San Diego Zoo Global, thank you for your
continued support as we join together to save the world's most
critically endangered animal, the northern white rhino.
Yours in conservation,
Randy Rieches
Curator of Mammals
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
Curator of Mammals
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
