SOS
Rhino Review
October 2004
Welcome to the SOS Rhino Review, a newsletter about rhinos from SOS Rhino. You’ll find links to interesting articles here as well as a few surprises! We have provided some 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. About Us
2. World Rhino News
3. Feature Stories
4. Donor Appreciation
5. Find It On Our Web Site
6. Trivia Questions
7. How You Can Help
8. Trivia Answers
Full Stories Are Available Via Web Links
1. 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.
2. World Rhino News
Smart wildlife protection move
The proposal to gazette about 3,000 hectares of the Lower Segama
area into a Wildlife Conservation Area (WCA) is likely to become
a reality soon - thanks to encouraging response from the various
stakeholders there.
From poacher to protector
'I am different from my family line - my father was a poacher, but I have decided
to protect the wild animals," says Kashu Parit, a 25 year-old Masai student
currently exploring the wild places of KwaZulu-Natal.
3. Featured Stories
BORNEO RHINO CHALLENGE 2004
Several of the participants of Borneo Rhino Challenge 2004 submitted
their journals and stories for us to share. Read about their
experience and find out what they endured and experienced – all
in the name of Sumatran rhino awareness and conservation!
SUMATRAN RHINO BIRTH IN 1889
There was a curious announcement in an English daily newspaper sold
in Calcutta, India, on 31 January 1889, in the section of notable
births:
"
Rhinoceros - At the Zoological Garden, Alipore, on the 30th January,
Rhinoceros Lasiotis, the wife of Rhinoceros Sumatrensis, of Caboul,
of a son".
4. 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!
5. Find It On Our Web Site
BORNEO RHINO CHALLENGE 2005
Trek, Cycle, and Quest for the Sumatran Rhino of Borneo
SOS RHINO invites you to climb to the summit of Mt. Kinabalu, cycle the Northern
tip of Borneo, and help us search for the elusive Sumatran rhinoceros of Borneo.
You’ll see an astonishing variety of rare and endemic plants, primates,
and birds during your trek and cycle in some of the most beautiful areas of
Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. As part of the challenge you will join SOS Rhino’s
field staff deep in the jungles of Tabin Wildlife Reserve, in search of the
last remaining small, shy forest rhinos of Malaysian Borneo.
6. Trivia Questions
1. True or False: Habitat loss is one of the most serious threats
to rhinoceros populations.
2. Do rhinos really stomp out fires?
3. When and where was the Javan rhino "rediscovered"?
7. How You Can Help
Adopt
a rhino, doc or keeper. Buy a t-shirt, hat, or video
There are only 300 Sumatran rhinos left on Earth. Without direct help from
generous humans, they may never be seen again. We urge you to give what you
can in the form of a donation – protect a rhino or adopt a rhino, doc,
researcher, keeper, or purchase one of SOS Rhino’s products: a T-shirt,
hat, or video. Visit today, and give from your heart.
Contribute to the “SOS Rhino Annelisa Memorial Fund”
SOS Rhino has established memorial fund in Dr. Annelisa Kilbourn’s
name to help continue her work dedicated to the survival of the Sumatran
rhino in
Malaysia. Contributions can be made by clicking the button below or mailed
directly to SOS Rhino (checks should be made out to “SOS RHINO”)680
N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60611. attn: Annelisa Fund. 312.335.0868,
fax 312.335.0076. Inquires emailed to info@sosrhino.org.
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. Read more:
8. Trivia Answers
1. TRUE: Rhinos' natural habitat is taken away by the growing human population.
Land is converted for use in agriculture or roads and forests are still logged
(legally and illegally) for hardwood.
2. The legend 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. The rhinoceros in South East Asia has become very
rare and is hardly ever met nowadays, as it keeps to the deep forest and high
mountains. There has been no sighting of this phenomenon in recent history.
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.
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