Need for single species recovery programme: Bora
Published on: Friday, April 08, 2016
Kota Kinabalu: Borneo Rhino Alliance (Bora), a non-governmental organisation dedicated to preventing the extinction of the Sumatran rhino, expressed regret over the death of Najaq, the first rhino captured in Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo in recent times. "Najaq was captured less than 700 kilometers south of the Borneo Rhino Sanctuary in Sabah, so she might even be distantly related to our rhinos," said Bora Executive Director Dr. John Payne in a statement here, on Thursday. Bora is entrusted with the care of the last three Malaysian Sumatran rhinos in Sabah.
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"We recall the cordial visit of representatives of the Government of Indonesia and WWF-Indonesia in early 2015 to observe our captive rhinos. "We would value collaboration with Indonesia through the mutual exchange of information and expertise. If Indonesia should so desire, we can bring to the Sabah government the idea of sharing Sabah's remaining rhinos, or their gametes, in support of Indonesia's efforts to save this ancient species," he said. Meanwhile, Bora's Chairman Dr Abdul Hamid Ahmad said Bora applauds the government of Indonesia's decision to rescue the remaining rhinos in Kalimantan.
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"Our veterinarian, together with the Sabah Wildlife Department, has used a similar capture and translocation protocol to rescue the last two wild rhinos from remote hill forests in Sabah," he said. He said the capture of isolated Sumatran rhinos is indeed inherently risky, but leaving isolated animals in a place where they cannot find a mate and breed has far greater risks for a critically endangered species with a global population of less than 100.
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"Protection and habitat restoration are no longer sufficient to ensure the Sumatran rhino's survival," he said. "Although Najaq's death is tragic, we stand with and encourage Indonesia to continue its rescue efforts," he added. In addition to Indonesia's ongoing strategy to find and rescue isolated Sumatran rhinos, reproductive specialists and veterinarians from Bogor Agricultural University in Indonesia and those in Malaysia, who together represent Southeast Asia's leading Sumatran rhino experts, are already working together with experts from Germany, the United States and other nations. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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