SOS Rhino Review
March 2007

Welcome to the SOS Rhino Review, a newsletter about rhinos from SOS Rhino. You’ll find links to interesting articles here as well as updates on our efforts to save rhinos all over the world. Let us know if you’d rather not receive this newsletter.

And now, let's go to the rhino news.

1. Feature Stories
2. World Rhino News
3. Donor Appreciation
4. Find It On Our Web Site
5. Frequently Asked Questions
6. How You Can Help
7. Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
8. About Us

Full Stories Are Available Via Web Links

1. Feature Stories

RHINOS IN LIMBO

Though big in size, rhinos are succumbing to pressures inflicted by a much smaller creature - man.

HE was Sabah’s last hope to boost the dwindling numbers of Sumatran rhinos. But in a tragic event, Tanjung, the only remaining captive male rhino in the state, was killed last August by a falling tree branch. A storm the previous day had inflicted much damage to the Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre in Sepilok, Sandakan, where the breeding centre is located.

With uncertainties shrouding the breeding programme, SOS Rhino programme officer Dr M.S. Thayaparan says efforts now centre on protecting wild rhinos, particularly since the discovery of two juvenile rhino footprints at Tabin Wildlife Reserve meant that they are reproducing.

“If we can better protect their natural environment, they can continue breeding naturally and that would be the best thing.”

2. World Rhino News

Museum's new rhinoceros skull is 15,000 years old

The skull of a woolly rhinoceros, which could have roamed the Tring area around 15,000 years ago, is part of the latest exhibition at Tring's Zoological Museum. Remains of the massive beast were found in Cambridgeshire, but it is likely the animal and its relatives came to this area during their lives. From the Pleistocene Age, the woolly rhino weighed up to three tons and was around six ft high and 12 ft long.

Born in US, Sumatran Rhino arrives home

After travelling more than 60 hours, the first Sumatran rhinoceros born in captivity in more than 100 years arrived in its native Indonesian island home Wednesday to take part in a breeding programme to help save the endangered species from extinction. The 5-year-old male rhino named Andalas, who was born in the US, arrived in the Way Kambas National Park in the southern Sumatran province of Lampung after about 12 hours of truck and ferry rides from Jakarta's airport and an even longer flight from Los Angeles, said Marcellius Adi, site manager of the park.

3. Donor Appreciation

SOS RHINO wishes to acknowledge the following individuals, organizations, and foundations for their generous support of our programs. Their support comes in many forms: donation of their expertise and time, funds for specific programs and equipment, and donation of products. THANK YOU!

Click HERE to view the list of our donors!

4. Find It On Our Web Site

SOS Rhino and Tabin Wildlife Reserve announce the Rhino Survey Expedition in Borneo

The Rhino Survey Expedition in Borneo is a 7 Day, 6 Night program that combines a comfortable stay at the charming Tabin Wildlife Resort with a survey program where participants will join SOS Rhino Borneo’s Rhino Protection and Survey staff deep in the jungles of Tabin Wildlife Reserve, in search for signs of the elusive Sumatran rhino in its natural habitat.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. TRUE OR FALSE: The reasons for the rhinoceros' continual decline are poaching and habitat loss.

2. Do rhinos really stomp out fires?

3. Is the rhinoceros an aggressive animal?

7. Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

1. TRUE. The rhinoceros is highly priced for its horn, which is supposed to have medicinal properties. Poaching is a very serious threat and is also still intensifying. Its natural habitat is taken away by the growing human population. Land is converted for use in agriculture or roads, forests are still logged for hardwood.

2. There are a number of legends about the rhinoceros stomping out fire. The story seems to have been common in Malaysia and Burma.This type of rhinoceros even had a special name in Malay, 'badak api', where badak means rhinoceros and api means fire. The animal would come when a fire is lit in the forest and stamp it out. If there is or can be any truth in the legend, it would be hard to decide. Suffice it to say that there has been no sighting of this phenomenon in recent history. Of course, the rhinoceros in South East Asia has become very rare is hardly ever met nowadays, as it keeps to the deep forest and high mountains.

3. The rhinoceros will always be seen as an aggressive animal. Its behavior when approached by men will vary, but can often be interpreted as aggression. When left alone, the rhino will rarely attack on its own accord.

8. About Us

SOS Rhino is a non-profit, international foundation dedicated to preserving the five rhinoceros species in their natural habitats. Our conservation programs combine research, education, marketing and advocacy, all working collectively to achieve sustainable results.

Through diverse stakeholder support, SOS Rhino develops and funds rhino conservation and awareness programs appropriate to individual countries, providing these countries with the information and tools to build lasting rhino conservation.

It is our goal to secure a place for this ancient animal in tomorrow’s world.