WILL OUR LAST MALE RHINO SURVIVE?
One or more of his internal organs not functioning well, says Sabah minister
MALAYSIA risks losing its last male Sumatran rhinoceros, nicknamed Tam, as the endangered animal’s health is deteriorating.
In a statement, State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew said Tam’s appetite and alertness declined abruptly since late last month.
“Serious concerns are growing over (Tam’s) health now. (Tam) is receiving round-the-clock attention and medication.
“Tests are ongoing, but it seems that one or more of his internal organs are not functioning well,” she said.
In August 2008, a wildlife team captured the male rhinoceros at the Kretam oil palm plantation in Tawau. It had wandered out of the forest into the plantation.
Prior to its capture, the team
from Sabah Wildlife Department, SOS Rhino and WWF-Malaysia spent a week feeding and befriending Tam in the plantation. It was a move to gain Tam’s trust in order to coax it into a crate.
Tam was brought to facilities in Tabin Wildlife Reserve, where he has lived ever since.
At the time of his capture, Tam was thought to be in his mid-20s and was now well into old age for a Sumatran rhino.
“Tam has always been a favourite of the people who work with him or visit him, due to his calm and steady manner.
“Hopes of finding a mate for him were dashed when Puntung (female Sumatran rhino) was found to have multiple cysts throughout her uterus. Iman, on the other hand, was found to have massive uterine fibroids,” she said.
Puntung and Iman were the only Malaysian female Sumatran rhinos. Puntung was captured in 2011, while Iman was captured in 2014.
However, Puntung was euthanised in 2017 due to painful and incurable cancer, leaving Iman the only female survivor.
“These illnesses are a reflection of too few rhinos and insufficient breeding success during the last decades of the 20th century.
“Since 2011, Malaysia’s efforts to save the species from extinction have been focused on the application of advanced reproductive technology, including invitro fertilisation attempts and collaboration with Indonesia.
“To date, the attempts (breeding programmes) have not met with success,” Liew said.