Tam , the last manlike rhino leave in Malaysia has died , the Borneo Rhino Alliance hasannounced . With only an estimated 30 - 80 Sumatran rhinos left awake , prospects seem grim for the specie . Although it is anticipated without drastic changes human activities will cause up toa million extinctionsin the nigh futurity , few will leave a gap quite as magnanimous as this .
Sumatran rhinos are the smallest and oldest of the surviving rhinoceros species , and once ranged from the Himalayan foothill to Borneo . The only remaining members of the genusDicerorhinus , they are now extinct on the Asian mainland , but minor numbers survive on Sumatra and Borneo . There they are threatened by track down , loss of habitat , and perhaps most of all the atomisation of surviving populations that have it unmanageable for them to cover .
The members of the Borneo subspecies that inhabited Sabah province , Malaysia , were among the last hold - outs , but declaredextinct in the wildin 2015 . Tam and the last female person , Iman , survived at a wildlife reserve , and it was once hoped they would cover .
Tam had lost his appetite in the last calendar month , and urine tests suggested he was digest from kidney failure . An autopsy is yet to be held , but Tam received high - calibre veterinary tending towards the end , and it is potential his death was make by old eld . He was thought to be in his mid-30s .
In astatementreporting Tam ’s death , Christina Liew , the state minister for tourism , civilization and the environment say his sperm had been collected . “ We go for that with emerging technologies at cell and molecular level , he may be able to add his cistron to ensure the survival of the species , ” she said . This may occur with Iman , or with a fellow member of an Indonesian rhino , possibly including a member of the other surviving subspecies .
Optimism for such piece of work rose after the successful output of northerly whiterhino embryosproved IVF can play on at least one rhino species . However , as long as demand for rhino French horn remain , and habitat is torn up for plantations and logging , the natural selection of any offspring will be fragile .
WWF Malaysia ’s statementreads : “ Our hearts are filled with sadness as we mourn not only the loss of wildlife but the departure of a specie … Let the loss of Tam be the wakeup call that we ask to spring into action . Our wildlife postulate protective cover now and like it or not , we are their only hope . ”
Donations to rhino conservation can be madehere .
