{
  "id": 5931598,
  "title": "Mital Patel spent years photographing the two remaining northern white rhinos on Earth. Yet his work isn't just about animals; it tells us a lot about humans, too",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/06/mital-patel-spent-years-photographing-the-two-remaining-northern",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-06T06:15:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Digital Camera World",
    "slug": "digital-camera-world",
    "url": "https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/photography/galleries-and-exhibitions/mital-patel-spent-years-photographing-the-two-remaining-northern-white-rhinos-on-earth-yet-his-work-isnt-just-about-animals-it-tells-us-a-lot-about-humans-too"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A staggering reality confronts us: just two northern white rhinos continue to survive in existence. Fatu and Najin, a mother and daughter, are safeguarded indefinitely at Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya. These two animals were born into captivity and their species is essentially extinct outside the fenced enclosure under constant surveillance by armed guards. This profoundly moving subject could easily devolve into cliché, filled with sorrow and empty hand-wringing. Photographer Mital Patel, however, has approached this topic with a refreshing perspective - as evidenced by his online exhibition, The Caretakers, currently featured on All About Photo.\n\nPatel's work goes beyond simply focusing on the animals; he often turns his lens towards the humans who dedicate their lives to caring for these creatures. Images of a ranger laughing with an arm braced against a rhino's flank, a group of four men on foot patrol with a rifle, a tracking dog, and a man standing beside a stone memorial to Sudan, the last male northern white rhino who lived from 1973 to 2018, are included.\n\nWhat makes Patel's approach particularly compelling is his technical execution. By using an extreme wide-angle lens right next to a rhino's face, he brings the viewer into an intimate space where the horn seems to distort and loom in the foreground, while the herd continues grazing in the background. This technique, only possible with animals accustomed to human presence, effectively juxtaposes the safe distance afforded by a telephoto lens with a closer, more immersive perspective.\n\nMeanwhile, conventional side-on portraits - rhino and ranger sharing the same golden light on a standard portrait length - contrast with Patel's approach. His use of reportage and formal portraiture side-by-side creates a dynamic and engaging series. The show's poster image, featuring two grazing rhinos flanked by a solitary ranger dwarfed by the animals, encapsulates the dichotomy of guardianship and futility, leaving the viewer to ponder the odds of conservation success.\n\nPatel's series transcends the typical conservation narrative, urging viewers not just to mourn for the species, but also to reflect on the unsung heroes who devote themselves to these remarkable creatures.",
  "summary": "A new online exhibition teams a wildlife extinction story with a study of the people guarding it.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}