Last remaining Sumatran rhino Iman’s condition declining, says experts

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Iman, kept at Borneo Rhino Sanctuary in Tabin Wildlife Reserve in Lahad Datu, is Malaysia’s sole surviving Sumatran female rhinoceros.

KOTA KINABALU: The team led by Dr Zainal Zahari Zainuddin, who are looking after Iman, the last living Sumatran rhinoceros in Malaysia in Tabin Wildlife Reserve, reports that her health is steadily declining.

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Christina Liew said the problem is that the tumours in her uterus, detected soon after her capture in March 2014, have been growing in size since then.

“Although they are not malignant, they are spreading to her urinary bladder. The vets tell me that there is no way to halt the growth of these tumours, and surgery to remove them always was and still is too dangerous – there would be inevitable major blood loss that would result in her quick demise.”

Sabah Wildlife Department Director Augustine Tuuga said that this week, Iman’s body weight is 476kg – 44 kg less than her average weight over the past few years.

“She is not eating her normal amount and is being given supplements. The situation is reminiscent of the case of Puntung, who was euthanised on 4 June 2017, because her squamous cell carcinoma was incurable and she was in great pain,” he said.

“Various options on the best thing to do will need to be considered based on the advice of experienced veterinarians. Whatever happens, I would like to assure interested parties that our interest to collaborate with Indonesia remains strong, because we want to play our role to help prevent what is emerging as the first mammal species extinction of the 21st century,” Liew explained.

“The Memorandum of Understanding that I understand is nearly ready to be signed with Indonesia and includes collaboration on research, reproductive biology, husbandry and exchange of knowledge and experience.

“Together with our collaborators in Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Germany, we in Sabah now have unique experience in managing the sorts of reproductive pathology that also occur in the rhinos in Indonesia, as well as the application of various advanced reproductive technologies to Sumatran rhinos,” she stressed.