There are now only six northern white rhinos left in the world

One of the last surviving northern white rhinos has been found dead in Kenya, meaning there are only six of the animals alive anywhere in the world.

Although thousands of southern white rhinos can still be found in sub-Saharan Africa, one of Africa's most famed species stands on the cusp of extinction.

Suni, a 34-year-old white northern rhino born in captivity, was found dead at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, 250km (155 miles) north of Nairobi.

It is not thought that he was poached but a post-mortem will be carried out to determine his cause of death.

Suni, whose father Suit died in 2006 - also aged 34 - of natural causes, was born in a zoo in the Czech Republic and brought to Kenya in 2009.

His death means there is only one breeding male left alive, with none surviving in the wild.

"Consequently the species now stands at the brink of complete extinction, a sorry testament to the greed of the human race," said Ol Pejeta, a 90,000-acre preserve.

Fifty-nine rhinos were poached in Kenya last year, with their horns selling pound-for-pound for more than platinum and gold in street markets in Asian cities.

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