SOS Rhino Review
July 2006

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

Baby Rhino Tracks in Malaysia Raise Hopes

Rangers sighted tracks of a baby Sumatran rhino in the heart of Borneo's jungles, raising hopes for the survival of a species pushed to the brink of extinction by poaching and habitat destruction, conservationists said Wednesday.

An expedition by SOS Rhino, a Chicago-based wildlife foundation, found the offspring's small tracks accompanying those of a larger rhino earlier this month while researching the species in Malaysia's Sabah state, the foundation said in a statement.

"This finding suggests a healthy growing population of rhinos in the wild," it said. "It brings hope and re-ignites efforts to bring this shy, elusive creature back from the threat of immediate extinction."

2. World Rhino News

Alarming decline in Nepal's rhinos and tigers in former Maoist stronghold  
Since 1986, 70 rhinos were translocated to Bardia National Park, but only three were found last week in the Babai Valley. Thirteen tigers were reported in the area between 1998-2001 but the WWF team found evidence of just three. This significant decline is due to poachers who took advantage of the absence of antipoaching patrols in this critical rhino and tiger habitat, which was under the control of Maoist insurgents.

A NEW HOME FOR MAXX
An orphaned Rhino named Maxx has found a new home in the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, which was recently extended to incorporate 90,000 acres of protected wilderness, increasing once again Kenya’s vast land area devoted to conservation.

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

Become a Volunteer

SOS RHINO is looking for volunteers interested in helping us in our efforts to save the Sumatran rhinoceros. Our Borneo Team is studying the demographics of the remaining animals in Tabin Wildlife Reserve to determine when patrol units, habitat protection, or translocation may play a role in the rhinos' survival. You can join our team and take part in our surveys, and depending on your experience, you can also help collect data, assist with building camp sites, write articles about your jungle experiences, become a fundraiser, and help teach English to some of our field staff.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. TRUE OR FALSE:  All rhinoceros species have hair on their bodies.

2. Why do rhinos have horns?

3. When and where was the Javan rhino “rediscovered”?

7. Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

1. TRUE. All rhinoceros species have hairs at the end of the tail and on the fringes of the ear.  They also have eyelashes.  Only the Sumatran rhinoceros has visible body hairs, even to the extent that some animals were described as 'hairy rhinoceros'.  Most of this body hair disappears when the animal grows older.  In the other species of rhinoceros, there is no obvious presence of body hair.  Anatomically, the hair follicles are present, which means that hairs will develop but not show above the surface of the skin.

2. The horns are very well developed in the two species in Africa (black and white rhinos), but much smaller in the three species in Asia (Sumatran with 2 very small horns, Indian and Javan with one horn).  The Asian species certainly do not use the horns to fight or to defend themselves, they use their incisors (sharp front teeth for the purpose). The horns have come about in evolution and they had (have) a general function to impress members of the opposite sex.  Horns are also used for digging in waterbeds to find water, or to uproot shrubs etc.  Some rhinos use the horn to guide their offspring.  This is generally the front horn, the second horn does not have a very specific purpose at the moment.  We suppose that they had some purpose in the course of evolution.

3. The best known population of Javan rhinos can be found in Ujung Kulon National Park in Western Java. A second remaining pocket of Javan rhinos was discovered in Vietnam in 1988, in an area known as Cat Loc Forest Reserve.

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.