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Sudan C


amilla Le May’s (Class of 1992) bronze of the last male northern white


rhino is shortlisted for an international art award and is raising funds for laboratory equipment needed, in an attempt to save a species. In a statement against extinction, award‐winning artist Camilla le May has sculpted Sudan, the last male northern white rhino, the world’s rarest large mammal, with the bronze being shortlisted for the David Shepherd Wildlife Artist of the Year award. Wildlife artist and conservationist, David Shepherd CBE: "At a time when the world's wildlife is under such devastating pressure from expanding human populations and the illegal trade, it seems fitting that we reflect on the beauty and diversity of our natural world and what could be lost if we do not truly appreciate the value of the world around us."


Camilla, known for her life size bronze of the Household Cavalry horse, Sefton, has won previous sculpture awards from the British Sporting Art Trust and the Society of Wildlife Artists. She decided to sculpt the elderly Sudan with some urgency last year, given his species are on the brink - only 3 remain. Her aim is to preserve the memory of this iconic animal, in bronze, lest we forget, and to draw attention to the northern white rhino’s plight.


34 The Old Cornelian SUMMER 2016





the last male northern white rhino.


What is man without the beasts? If all the beasts were gone, man would die from a great loneliness of spirit.





For whatever happens to the beast also happens to the man. All things are connected. Whatever befalls the Earth befalls the sons of the Earth.


The bronze was also conceived to raise funds, with an initial $3,000 from auctioning the first edition at the Wild Aid Charity Gala, Beverly Hills, going to fund laboratory equipment needed by scientists, who are endeavouring to save the species. Camilla’s sculptures have raised $71,000 for various charities since 2000, with over half of this for rhino conservation in Kenya. She is dedicated to give back to wildlife, the source of her inspiration.


Based on the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Kenya, in her tent and sculpting from her Land Rover, converted into a mobile studio, the work entailed several months’ meticulous observation of Sudan. Fascinated by the symbiotic relationship she observed between Sudan and many other small animals, Camilla decided to include a lively and vociferous oxpecker, she often saw feeding on Sudan’s parasites:


..theflightingbirdhighlightstheimpactofextinctionofamegaherbivoreona largerecosystemandsymbolizesthesoul’sdeparture,giventhattheelderly Sudanandhisspecies’daysarenumbered.”


She hopes to enlarge the maquette to half or life size, in order to realise her full vision of the work, including other species around Sudan. In the meantime it is hoped that smaller versions in cold cast bronze and in silver will boost fund raising efforts for rhinos.


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