There are only two northern white rhinos left in the world. And both of them are females, Najin and her daughter Fatu. Sadly, the last male, Sudan, died in 2018. Today, the northern white rhino is a functionally extinct species.

Matjaž Krivic traveled to Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Nanyuki, Kenya, where constantly monitored by her guard Zachary Mutai, the 33-year-old Najin resists the fate of her ancestors.

In “The Last Two” photo series, this talented photographer captured the emotional essence of the bond between the devoted caretaker and the second-to-last representative of the oldest land mammal species in the world. The photographs of this companionship serve as a powerful reminder of the urgency to stop humanity’s reckless destruction of the planet’s wildlife.

Pushed to the brink of extinction by poaching, the population of two northern white rhinos could only be saved by a miracle. That includes the BioRescue breeding program that uses the sperm of dead males to artificially inseminate female eggs, and transfer the embryos to surrogate mothers of another rhino sub-species. If successful, the conservation program could bring the northern white rhino back from extinction. And if that happens, you can bet Matjaž Krivic will be there with his camera to capture the magic of a new northern white rhino baby.

- Ivan Kralj