Guest guest Posted March 30, 2004 Report Share Posted March 30, 2004 ***************************Advertisement*************************** TechCentral http://star-techcentral.com ***************************************************************** This message was forwarded to you by yitzeling. Comment from sender: This article is from The Star Online (http://thestar.com.my) URL: http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2004/3/30/features/7629147 & sec=f\ eatures ________________________ Tuesday March 30, 2004 Rethinking captive breeding IT IS a perplexing question: What do we do with our dwindling population of wild Sumatran rhinos? Captive breeding, once thought to be the best way to save the species, has proved to be a costly experiment. But if left in the wild, rhinos still face an uncertain future as their habitat is dwindling, they are shot for their horns and their scattered locations leave them little chance to meet and mate. This question dominated a recent meeting in Kuala Lumpur on conservation of the critically endangered species. There is no straight answer, of course. Regrettably, efforts to protect the species have so far been an exercise in trial and error. This is an approach which we can ill afford now. We are dealing with a species which is staring extinction in the face – Peninsular Malaysia has fewer than 80 rhinos left. Wildlife experts are now wary of putting rhinos in an artificial environment as this exposes them to all kinds of deadly pathogens as seen in the Sungai Dusun breeding centre. With memory of the rhino deaths still fresh in our minds, many understandably no longer support ex-situ conservation and captive breeding, especially not in its traditional form of cages and confined spaces. Back in the 1980s, however, wildlife experts thought that was the best way to save the imperilled species. Rhino poaching was rife then because of widespread tropical deforestation. And so, some 40 rhinos which had been displaced by logging in Sumatra and Malaysia ended up in breeding centres in both countries and in zoos worldwide. None succeeded in breeding, except for a pair in the Cincinnati Zoo in the United States which produced a male. Trapped in an unnatural environment, most of the rhinos succumbed to diseases. “Captive breeding programmes have not been sustainable and experience shows it is extremely difficult to manage rhinos in captivity,” admits Dr Robin Radcliffe, director of animal health at the Fossil Rim Wildlife Centre in Texas. “When we started captive breeding, we knew little about their nutritional needs and reproductive health. So, many rhinos had health problems such as renal diseases, inflammation of the intestines, salmonella poisoning and iron overload. In the wild, rhinos eat some 200 species of leaves, some of which contain compounds which bind iron. In captivity, however, their diet is not as varied, leading to iron accumulation and eventually, diseases. “We’ve learnt a lot since and we can do better now but there are so few animals left that the best hope is to protect them in the wild. In-situ conservation – that’s where we should focus our energy on and more so if we do not have funds,” says Radcliffe. Should captive breeding be pursued again, it must be done in an entirely different manner from Sungai Dusun’s. The rhinos must have a large, natural enclosure to prevent nutrition problems and close proximity. Rad-cliffe says a good model to follow is the Way Kambas National Park in Sumatra where the pair of rhinos roam in a 100-hectare sanctuary. In the wild But protecting rhinos in the wild is tricky too. The peninsula’s remaining 59 to 78 wild rhinos are confined to 11 forested sites separated by urban areas, farms, estates and roads. In Kedah, numbers are down to one or two. There is just no way that these solitary rhinos can breed. And there are not enough resources to protect all areas. Thus the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) is considering relocating non-viable rhino populations to sites with larger numbers to improve breeding opportunities. “Moving non-viable population to key sites will boost the population there and promote natural breeding,” says Dr Thomas Foose, programme director of the Inter-national Rhino Foundation (IRF) which funds rhino conservation efforts in Malaysia. “I was an advocate of captive breeding but I don’t think it should continue for the time being. Right now, we should look at in-situ conservation.” Nicholas Duncan, president of Australia’s Save Foundation which supports rhino conservation in Africa, believes such a relocation exercise will work as it had for Zimbabwe. “The black rhino population there fell from 2,700 in 1985 to 270 in 1993. That jolted the authorities into instituting protective measures and translocating rhinos from heavily-poached areas to well-guarded national parks and new wildlife sanctuaries. Today, rhino numbers have risen to over 500.” Rhino relocation, however, must proceed with caution and have scientific backing. The animals may not fit into its new environment and there are risks of mortality. Veterinarian Dr Roy Sirimanne of Safari Wonderland says a feasibility study is crucial. “We need to study the actual status of the animals. Now we do not know whether the animals are young, old or of breeding maturity. We need to know, otherwise we are translocating for no reason.” Sites suitable for relocation have to be large enough and totally protected. Possibilities are Taman Negara, the Belum and Temenggor forests in Perak, and the Endau-Rompin National Park in Pahang and Johor. Endau-Rompin is a favoured site because it was once the country’s best rhino site. Back in the 1980s, it hosted some 20 to 25 rhinos. But poaching and severe habitat disturbance (a joint Malaysia-New Zealand military exercise was held there) in the then unprotected site decimated the rhino population to only one or two animals today. Rhino patrols Restocking Endau-Rompin and the other two promising sites with rhinos which would otherwise have little chance at survival is viable – but only if encroachment and poaching are checked. These illegal activities are still rife even in totally protected areas such as Taman Negara. In 2002 and 2003, some 50 poachers, majority of them Thais, were caught. Poachers are going after sandalwood but if a rhino comes along, they will shoot because rhino horns are sought after in folk cures. With funding assistance from the IRF and its local chapter the Malaysian Rhino Foundation, Perhilitan has set up Rhino Protection Units (RPU) to patrol forests known to harbour the species. The 14 RPUs comprising four rangers each, however, face a daunting task with often impenetrable and hilly jungle as well as the possibility of meeting gun-toting poachers. “We are understaffed,” admits Siti Hawa Yatim, head of the conservation division in Perhilitan. “There are so many entry points to guard and we have encountered groups of poachers which are 10- to 20-man strong.” Rangers say another 10 RPUs are needed if they are to thoroughly defend rhino sites. Right now, enforcement effort centres around Taman Negara and its surrounding forest as this is rhino country – there are 36 to 49 animals there. Seven RPUs patrol this 5,000sqkm area. The other eight rhino sites in the peninsula do not have it so good. Each is guarded by only one RPU. That is grossly inadequate seeing that sites such as the Belum and Temenggor forests, which shelter some eight rhinos, are sprawled over 3,000sqkm. To do a better job, wildlife rangers are seeking more training on animal identification and recording, equipment such as satellite phones, cameras and Global Positioning Systems, as well as boats and four-wheel drives. Lighter handcuffs and pistols would be handy too when tracking into the deep jungle. Joint patrols with the military in the past had helped in nabbing poachers; rangers say this co-operation should continue. Military helicopters could help airlift them into and out of inaccessible forest areas. Rangers also suggest that Perhilitan develop a budget to reward informants, as they now sometimes pay out of their own pockets. Harsher jail terms are of little help, especially where foreign poachers are concerned. Perhilitan officials attest that the foreigners often do not mind imprisonment as they get free meals and life is harder in their homelands of Thailand or Cambodia. Officials say caning is a better deterrent but it is only provided for under immigration laws. The international community has been supportive of rhino conservation. Funds raised by the IRF help pay for the enforcement work of the RPUs and the Sungai Dusun centre. But how long more can we depend on external funding? IRF officials say Malaysia has not contributed its fair share towards rhino conservation. For instance, the RPU rangers’ RM500 monthly field work allowance is covered by the IRF fund. “You have individuals committed to protecting the rhinos but they are not getting support from the Government,” says Dr Nico van Strien, an IRF senior technical advisor who has studied rhinos for over 20 years. Funding aside, Malaysia could also do something as simple as declaring the rhino a national heritage, says Duncan. Then perhaps the animal will get the attention it deserves. But all is not lost as rangers have sighted rhino calfs in some places – a sure sign that some are breeding in the wild. But the rhinos’ future can only be assured if there is total dedication to protecting them, asserts van Strien. “100 years ago, the Indian and white rhinos were almost extinct but because of aggressive conservation efforts, we were able to raise their numbers.” He believes the same could be done for the Sumatran rhinos. So, if there is commitment, there is hope yet for the Sumatran rhinos. Are Malaysians up to the task? – By Tan Cheng Li<p> ________________________ Your one-stop information portal: The Star Online http://thestar.com.my http://biz.thestar.com.my http://classifieds.thestar.com.my http://cards.thestar.com.my http://search.thestar.com.my http://star-motoring.com http://star-space.com http://star-jobs.com http://star-ecentral.com http://star-techcentral.com 1995-2003 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Star Publications is prohibited. 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