The world's last male northern white rhino is said to be on the mend after an infection in his leg sparked fears he might have to be put down.
Earlier this week, keepers said that Sudan, who lives at Ol Pejeta's Conservancy in Kenya, might have to be put to sleep after he spent two weeks lying down in his pen due to a wound in his leg which eventually became infected.
Elodie Sampere, who works at Ol Pejeta, told the BBC that due to his lack of mobility the Sudan ended up with 'bedsores', one of which became infected.
She said: "We are treating his wounds twice a day to avoid the risk of infection and they're getting better.
"The sores are being made worse because he lies down too much."
However, according to Stephen Ngulu, a veterinarian at Ol Pejeta, the team managed to get Sudan's infection under control using painkillers and antibiotics and now he's eating again and appears to be getting better.
In a post on Twitter, the conservancy said: "His appetite - which had diminished greatly over the past week - has also improved. He is still under round-the-clock monitoring by our vet teams and his caregivers."
Sudan, who lives with two female northern white rhinos, is the last hope to stop the species completely dying out.
Last year the 45-year-old animal was 'put on dating app Tinder' in an advert to help raise $11.5 million (£8.3m), which would be used to fund fertility treatment after attempts at getting him and one of his females companions - Najin and Fatu - to mate naturally hasn't worked.
Scientists are now attempting to use in-vitro fertilisation (IFV) using Sudan's sperm and an egg from Najin. They will implant the fertilised egg into a 'surrogate' rhino.
The team have said they are hoping to have designed a way to get Najin's eggs by the end of 2018.
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Sources: BBC; ABC
Featured Image Credit: Twitter/Ol Pejeta's ConservancyTopics: World News, Animals, rhino
