Rhinoceroses around the world were an endangered species because poachers barbarically slaughtered them for their horns in the belief that they could be made into aphrodisiacs. Some species of rhinos were hurt more than others. The Javan and Sumatran rhinos were teetering on the edge. The rhino species that seems the least likely to go extinct was the white rhinoceros. However, that only applied to the southern subspecies.
The Northern White Rhinoceros was on its last legs. Because of insufficient zoo-keeping and heavy poaching in their native area, only three individual specimens were still alive. Sudan was the last male. The other two were females, Najin and Fatu. Fatu was Najin's daughter, but NOT Sudan's. The three of them had been kept at a Czech zoo for many years before they were sent to the Ol Pejeta Conservatory in Kenya. To prevent them from being killed by poachers, their horns were sheared short and they were protected around-the-clock by armed guards. Having live their lives in zoos, the rhinos were quite comfortable with people. They've developed a close bond with their guards, allowing them to scratch behind their ears and rub their bellies. In a way, they were almost as tame as horses.
But the survival of this subspecies was bleak. Repeated attempts to get them to breed have failed and Sudan was far past his prime. He was too old to breed and didn't have many years left to live. Many attempts have been made to keep the species from dying out, including in vitro fertilization and possibly hybridizing them with their southern cousins. But results were not promising and it would seem the northern white rhino would soon be extinct.
But then, Animalia emerged in the world. When its borders started expanding and humans and animals came all over to be treated, there was heavy debate about whether or not to take these last rhinos there. Yes, they would be saved, but they could never be a pure species again. But by the time of the IAC, the decision was made that Sudan and the two females would be taken to Nevada to be uplifted.
But the rhinos did not come to America alone. Several of the guards who had worked with the rhinos felt a strong bond with them. They insisted on coming along, if for no other reason than to keep some unscrupulous people from trying to intercept these gentle beasts. Thankfully, nothing untoward befell the rhinos and everyone made it to Animalia safely.
==========
John Mugo, one of the guards that came over the Atlantic, was watching over the three rhinos. After a long trip, it was decided that they be allowed to rest and graze as it would be their last time to do so as simple animals. Part of John was sad that there was no hope for this subspecies to flourish in the wild again. But he was well-aware that they would be getting a far better life than before.
Just then, he heard a throat clearing and he quickly turned around, raising his gun. He soon lowered it when he saw a Horizon scientist with his hands raised. "Er, Mr. Mugo," said the scientist.
"John will do," said John.
"Very well then. John, is it really necessary for you to bring firearms?" asked the scientist.
"We're taking no chances until they are uplifted," said John.
"John, you are aware of how many special forces we have here at this moment, are you not? Several countries have provided security to make sure nothing will happen during the IAC," said the scientist.
"I've seen them. They're not bad," said John, "But they are trained to deal with terrorists, not poachers."
"With all due respect, terrorists are the greater threats and we already have security teams to make sure no virus samples or infants are stolen," said the scientist.
John gave him an even look, but it still made the scientist quiet down. "Poachers operate differently from other thieves. They're certainly different from terrorists. A terrorist would be aiming to killing, to spread fear. A poacher would try to bag an animal alive if they can. A living animal has more value than a dead one. But there are those who are more..." The look on John's face indicated he wanted to say a particularly nasty word, but he decided to use a less-offensive term. "Brutish than your typical poacher. The ones who cut off the parts they want without killing the animal before leaving the rest to die. No hunter should be leaving as much waste as that."
"I understand and agree," said the scientist, "But you shouldn't have to worry about that sort of thing here."
"I bet the keepers of Vince thought the same thing," said John darkly. Vince was another white rhino, one of the southern subspecies that lived in a French zoo. The rhino was well cared-for, but in March, he was shot by poachers who sawed off one horn and partially sawed off the other. Quite naturally, there was an outrage over Vince's death.
The scientist shuddered over the thought and asked, "Do you think it may be likely that someone would try that here?"
"Maybe not soon, not during the IAC, I think," said John, "But at some point, there may be people who think they could easily get a perfect fur coat or trophy by coming here. And I know you've been thinking about making another colony in Africa. I respect that Animalians of African species would want to go there, but I can bet you anything that there would be poachers who wouldn't hesitate to shoot them even if they used to be human."
One of the other guards walked over and said, "Your anti-terrorist teams are good, but what Animalia needs are people who know how to look out for poachers"
"Are you volunteering?" asked the scientist.
"We've spoken with your mayor. Not all of us want to leave Sudan when he no longer needs us. Some of us intend to stay and form an anti-poacher team so Animalians would not have to fear being hunted," said John.
"I'm sure your expertise will be appreciated," said the scientist before turning to look at the grazing rhinos, "I think it's time, don't you think?"
"Yes, it is," said John.
Animalia already had a few rhino residents, courtesy of the specimens that were at the Lyre zoo. To be honest, there was not much to be physically discerned between the two white rhino subspecies. So the scientists already knew what to expect. Of course, administrating the virus wasn't simple. The rhinos were rather docile, but their thick skin made it hard to get the needle in unless one knew the right spots.
The effects on the rhinoceroses were soon noticed. The first noticeable effect was the way their legs seemed to weaken as they started to change. The three toes on their barrel-like front feet became a lot longer and thinner as two more digits appeared. The toes clenched as they formed into fingers for their new hands. Their hind legs were growing more muscular to support holding up the rest of their bodies. Their torsos began reshaping rather dramatically, becoming less barrel-chested as they flattened into more humanoid shape, the folds of their skin rearranging to follow the traces of their new muscles. For Sudan, his body became very muscular, easily putting him into bodybuilder territory of the heavier classes. Najin and Fatu were not far behind, but their bodies were also building up healthy curves. Their heads shrank a little to fit more comfortably on top of their bodies, their eyes growing sharper as new intelligence entered them. And rather unexpectedly, their stumped horns regrew until they each once again had two sharp points on their heads.
John and the other guards approached the uplifted rhinos. "Enjoy your new status," said John, "You won't need to fear being hunted for your horns here."
Sudan carefully lifted his new arms and lowered his hands on John's shoulder, trying not to put too much pressure on him. "I can't thank you enough for what you've done for us," said Sudan in a slow, deep voice, "We can't repay you for your kindness."
"Your survival is reward enough for us," said John.
Not long after they've joined Animalia, Sudan spoke with Clara about wanting to help support his new home. He wanted to make sure that no other species would have to go through what his kind did. Soon, a new special security force will be formed to protect Animalians from hunters. In honor of who would be founding, this special force will be called the Rhino Guard. It already included Sudan, Najin, and Fatu along with some of their guards, some of whom had already converted. The members of the Rhino Guard need not be specifically Northern White Rhinos, or even rhinoceroses at all. But members tended to gravitate towards those species, similar to how the Animalian Police Department was mostly wolves and similar dog breeds. Speaking of which, the Rhino Guard was affiliated with the APD in a way very similar to that of a SWAT team, including the heavy armor and weapons. Lyre had been a very crime-free area since the APD was established and it seemed less likely than ever that anyone would try to break any laws with the Rhino Guard around.