Vietnam’s last rhino lost to poachers: declared extinct in Vietnam
Hanoi, Vietnam: a number of new reports in the global press mention that Vietnam lost its last rare Javan rhinoceros when poachers apparently killed the one remaining animal for its horn. This brings to an end Vietnam’s part of the rhino story forever. According to WWF, ever since last April when the remains of a rhino were found in Vietnam’s Cat Tien National Park there have been no sightings, footprints or dung from live rhinos in the park. Earlier in 2004, genetic analysis of rhino feces had confirmed that at least two rhinos were living in the park, raising hopes that Vietnam’s population might survive. Now only 40 to 60 Javan rhinos now remain in Ujung Kulon National Park in Indonesia. They are the last known living members of the species, with none in captivity.
With the increased possibility of extinction, ironically, demand for rhino horn has surged in recent years among Vietnamese and Chinese who believe it can cure an array of ailments. Horns can now fetch up to $50,000 per pound (about $100,000 per kilogram), a recent the WWF report said. A small amount of ground-up powder can bring hundreds of dollars on the black market. Global demand has also increased in the last four to five years as some people have begun to consider rhino horn a remedy for cancer.
The Javan rhino in a sense got a new lease of life some decades ago – before 1988, the Javan rhino was believed to be extinct from mainland Asia. A small population was then discovered in Vietnam’s park, and for the past 20 years, a number of wildlife conservationists have worked closely with the government to try to prevent the species from dying out in Vietnam. Park director Tran Van Thanh said that while some of his rangers failed to fulfill their duties, it is impossible for them to stop all of the estimated 100,000 people living near the park from hunting exotic animals when the average farmer there earns around 150,000 dong ($7.50) per day.
The WWF report said Vietnam is on the verge of an “extinction crisis” with several other species — including the saola and the Tonkin snub-nosed monkey — threatened by deforestation, widespread poaching and a “largely uncontrolled” illegal wildlife trade.
Facts about the Javan rhino:
The Javan rhino is one of the world’s rarest mammals.
For the first time, the Javan rhino was recently photographed by scientists in Vietnam using photo-trapping. This demonstrated the existence in Vietnam of the subspecies Rhinoceros sondaicus annamiticus that until recently had been believed to be extinct. The only other subspecies is R. s. sondaicus, which is found in Java, Indonesia.
In 1934 the Javan rhino was said to be the rarest of all the earth’s large mammals
After World War II, Chinese poachers threatened the Javan rhino in the Udjung Kulon reserve. However, after a poacher was killed by a Javan tiger in the reserve, the poachers left for fear of the tiger. Unfortunately for the Javan rhinos (not to mention the tigers themselves), the Javan tiger is now extinct.
The Javan rhino can tolerate disturbed forest. Despite this fact, the few surviving rhinos have been forced to retreat to less desirable upland habitats because of the intense pressure from human settlement in its preferred lowland habitat.
The Javan rhino usually seeks to escape rather than attack an enemy, although when wounded or with a calf it may charge.
The Javan and Indian rhinos were thought to be the same species for many years. However, the Indian rhino is a little larger, its skin folds are slightly different and its skin is “knobby” as opposed to the smoother skin of the Javan rhino.
Countries Where the Javan Rhinoceros Is Currently Found: 2004: Known to occur in Indonesia (Java) and Vietnam. May be extinct in Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand