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Javan rhino declared extinct in Vietnam25/10/2011 18:18:14
EXTINCT: One of the final Javan rhinos caught on camera in Vietnam – A sight that will never be seen again. Inadequate protection as poaching takes its toll The findings, presented in a new WWF report, also point to poaching as the likely cause of the death, as the rhino was found with a bullet in its leg and had its horn removed.Genetic analysis of 22 dung samples collected by a Cat Tien National Park - WWF survey team from 2009-2010 affirm that the samples all belonged to a rhinoceros that was found dead in the park in April 2010, shortly after the survey was completed. 'The last rhino has gone' ‘The last Javan rhino in Vietnam has gone,' said Tran Thi Minh Hien, WWF-Vietnam Country Director. ‘It is painful that despite significant investment in the Vietnamese rhino population conservation efforts failed to save this unique animal. Vietnam has lost part of its natural heritage.' Javan rhino - On the brinkFrom the International Rhino Foundation The Javan rhinoceros now numbers less than 44 animals, all living in Indonesia's Ujung Kulon National Park. Four Rhino Protection Units, funded by IRF and operated through our partner, Yayasan Badak Indonesia (YABI) have prevented poaching for more than 16 years. The loss of the Vietnam rhinos makes IRF's work in Ujung Kulon even more important, as the Ujung Kulon population now represents the only hope for the species. We are committed to continuing to safeguard that population as well as preparing to meet the long-term need for translocation of a subset of the Ujung Kulon animals to a suitable, secure site within their historic range in Indonesia. How Can We Protect the World's Only Remaining Population of Javan Rhinos? Indonesia's remote Ujung Kulon National Park (UKNP) holds the only population of the Critically Endangered Javan rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus), with a range of 27-44 individuals remaining. Based on camera trap data, we believe there still may be 4-5 breeding females still left in the Ujung Kulon Javan Rhino population, but we don't know the sex and degree of relatedness of the rest of the individuals. Javan rhinos persist in UKNP because they are carefully monitored and guarded by the Rhino Protection Units, elite anti-poaching teams that patrol the park every day. The main threat to Javan rhinos is limited habitat in the park, as well as the population's small size. A small population can be affected by demographic (e.g., distorted sex ratio, unstable age structure, reproductive failure) and genetic (e.g., drift, migration, selection, mutation) factors which can cause loss of genetic variation because of founder effects, genetic bottlenecks and inbreeding. They also are subject to catastrophic environmental disasters such as volcanic eruptions and tsunamis, and human-related disasters such disease transfer from domestic livestock. To meet such challenges, genetic variation and population size is important. Individuals need genetic variation to be fit, healthy and vigorous so that they can reproduce for survival; populations need genetic variation to be fit, healthy and vigorous so that they can adapt to the challenges of a changing world. The IRF has focused on two major strategies to conserve the Javan rhino: (1) expanding the useable habitat within UKNP, particularly in the eastern part of the park, by creating a 4,000 hectare research and conservation area and (2) ongoing intensive protection and management of the surviving population in the wild. The rhinoceros was believed to be extinct from mainland Asia until 1988 when an individual was hunted from the Cat Tien area, leading to the discovery of a small population. From the mid-1990s, a number of organizations were involved in efforts to conserve the remaining Javan rhino population in Cat Tien National Park, but the report highlights that ineffective protection by the park was ultimately the cause of the extinction. This is a common problem in most protected areas in Vietnam that threatens the survival of many other species, says WWF. 'Sad symbol of the extinction crisis' ‘The tragedy of the Vietnamese Javan rhinoceros is a sad symbol of this extinction crisis,' said Nick Cox, manager of WWF's species programme in the Greater Mekong. ‘The single most important action to conserve Vietnam's endangered species is protecting their natural habitat and deterring poaching and illegal wildlife trade. The report shows that these actions were inadequate to save the Javan rhino in Vietnam and this continued situation will no doubt lead to the extinction of many more species from the country. Vietnam's protected areas need more rangers, better training and monitoring, and more accountability.' 'Reintroduction is not feasible' ‘Reintroduction of the rhinoceros to Vietnam is not economically or practically feasible. It is gone from Vietnam for ever,' said Christy Williams, WWF's Asian elephant and rhino programme coordinator. The Javan rhinoceros is now believed to be confined to one population, less than 50 individuals, in a small national park in Indonesia. The species is critically endangered and with demand for rhino horn for the Asian traditional medicine trade increasing every year, protection and expansion of the Indonesian population is the highest priority. ‘This makes our work in Indonesia even more critical. We must ensure that what happened to the Javan rhinoceros in Vietnam is not repeated in Indonesia a few years down the line,' said Susie Ellis of the International Rhino Foundation. You can make a direct donation to help support the efforts of the IRF to expand the population of Javan rhinos in Ujung Kulon by expanding the usable habitat in the park and creating the 4,000 hectare Javan Rhino Study and Conservation Area.
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Read the comments about this article and leave your own comment
This is the sadest gut wrenching news ever to hear about any animal. I felt the same wretched sadness with the extinction of the Yangtse river Dolphin a few years ago. That's 2 extinctions that i heard about in the last say 6 years, what will be next.
This is unacceptable, and it is unbearable to hear - also for the people trying to prevent poaching etc. The Yangtze river was so polluted thats what killed off the river dolphin - we humans should be truly ashamed.
Yes we have lost another innocent species for no good reason. RIP
Posted by: cally | 31 Oct 2011 16:11:24
Be quiet. Silence.
All of this carnarge could have been prevented. Somewhere someone has a part of it. Somewhere someone has money for it.
It could have been prevented.
Be quiet. We have lost an innocent.
Posted by: Judy Lust | 27 Oct 2011 17:25:27