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The word "auction" usually conjures [down / up] images of priceless art, fine wines or celebrity memorabilia. It rarely makes us think of a near-threatened species [as / of] rhinoceros. However, those rich enough to splash out in [access / excess] of $10 million can [bid / lid] for 1,993 white rhinos on May the 1st, [which / that] is International Save the Rhino Day. The majestic beasts are being [selling / sold] by multi-millionaire [conservationist / conversationalist] John Hume, a South African entrepreneur. He started a rhino [breeding / bleeding] project with about 200 animals 30 years ago. He managed to increase his [stack / stock] of the animals ten-fold. Mr Hume is also selling the 8,500-hectare [ranch / raunch] 100 miles south-east of Johannesburg where the rhinos live.

Mr Hume's ranch is [house / home] to more than 10 per cent of the world's total rhino population. Hume has spent $150 million of his personal [fortunate / fortune] on increasing rhino numbers, but can no [lengthen / longer] afford to maintain the creatures. His expenses include [veterans' / vets'] bills, security guards to keep poachers [at / in] bay and a helicopter for air patrols. He told reporters: "I've used all my [live / life] savings spending on that population of rhinos for 30 years and I finally [ran / running] out of money. I'm hoping that there is a billionaire that would [prefer / rather] save the population of rhinos from [extinction / exhaustion] than own a super-yacht." Hume lamented that: "Rhinos are underdogs. They stand the [last / least] chance of surviving poaching."