Sumatran Rhinos In Captivity

Sumatran Rhinos In Captivity
31-10-2011

Following the recent discussions on sumatran rhinos on this forum I was wondering how many of the species are currently in captivity. I have managed to come up with this current list but would appreciate if people could add to it or correct it if it is wrong.

Way Kambas National Park

Andalas - (M) 10 years old.

Ratu - (F) 9-10 years old.

Bina - (F) 23 years old.

Rosa - (F) No age given.

White Oak

Harapan (M) 3 years old

Cincinnatti Zoo

Suci (F) 7 years old

Ipuh (M)

Tabin Wildlife Reserve

Gelugub (F) 29 years old

Kertam (M) No age given

31-10-2011

I was only aware of the single elderly female 'Gelugob' in Lok Kawi Wildlife Park near Kota Kinabalu. If she's still around, she must be nearly 30 years old. There are a couple of photos in the gallery, and there has been a lot of discussion about all these rhinos before in the forum.

31-10-2011

I'm sorry I must have been looking in the wrong place. I was looking for a list but couldn't find one so just thought I would try and make my own.

I hate to say it but I really can't see how the captive breeding of these individuals is going to work unless they use AI or cloning (which will probably be years off).

I am by no means an expert and this is why I am asking the question but would it be possible (and I don't mean easy or cheap) to create clones and implant the embryos into white rhinos that are not genetically significant to their own breeding program?

31-10-2011

Assisted reproductive techniques for rhinos are still in their infancy. Only a few artificial insemination procedures have successfully occurred and this is the most basic of assisted reproductive techniques. What you are suggesting, while possible, is highly experimental and most likely will fail until further is known about rhino reproduction, their endocrine system, and assisted reproductive technology is available.

31-10-2011

I am no expert, but I fear that the Sumatran rhino would be the least suitable of the five extant species to try anything high-tech; it is not very closely related to any of the three "commoner" rhinos.

01-11-2011

Female "Gelugob" or "Gelegub" is elderly and was kept with a male untill the male died in a freak accident (a branch fell on him and killed him). After that, she was moved to Kota Kinabalu and kept alone.

Somewhere in 2009? a male, known by the RPU's in Tabin wandered into a palm plantation and looked hurt. He was taken to a fenced in part of Tabin and nursed back to health. As far as i remember he was a mature but relatively young male.

Recently Gelegub moved over to Tabin to join him (I just found this out myself) to see if they can get some embryo's out of her still.

For more information about all of this, see;

Tabin Wildlife Reserve : Borneo Rhino Alliance

01-11-2011

Brilliant find there Jwer! Thanks for that information and have added it to the list.

01-11-2011

Well this doesn't put Sumatran Rhino program in a good light - young female Suci and the only unrelated male Kertam are on different continents.

I wonder if reason of Ratu miscarriage was established (the only sumatran rhino which ever conceived in those so touted breeding centres in their homeland) and does she mate again?

I also know that female elephants in zoos are regularly monitored for reproductive status using hormone tests and ultrasonography - I wonder if it was done for Indonesian females? Anybody checked if Bina and Rosa are fertile?

01-11-2011

It's important that everyone remembers that there are two, seemingly quite distinct, subspecies for this animal. The link above that jwer so kindly provided has made me realise just how little publicity the Bornean rhino gets.

01-11-2011

About the keeping Bornean and Sumatran population separate, I agree with Morales and others: "Unfortunately, because the remaining natural populations of the Sabah Sumatran rhinoceros are estimated to be 50 to 100 individuals, we might not have the luxury of managing this group as an entirely independent unit."

Because there is no prospect of bringing new rhinos, exporting Bornean animal to mate with sumatrans is the only option - if only to work reproduction of this species.

Bottom line: strategy used now may be careful, full of respect to animals etc, but it didn't work and doesn't work.

01-11-2011

But they are also from different races/subspecies. Even at this late hour trying to pair them together may be regarded as very undesirable.

Ratu miscarried twice(?) I believe? Emi at Cincinnati miscarried five times. Possibly they will treat Ratu with Progesterone as with Emi, should she become pregnant again. It is interesting a female should miscarry like this even under semi-wild conditions with natural food/climate etc such as at Way Kambas. I would imagine she has almost certainly become pregnant again unless they have prevented further mating while they investigate the problem.

Bina is pretty ancient. I believe Rosa is regarded as of similar (young) age to Ratu?

27-12-2011

Intriguing new developments:

Survival of species may rest with captured rhino

27-12-2011

Interesting, though the survival of the species can hardly rest on one pair, which, even if they do manage to sucessfully breed them, can only produce a few calves in their lifetime. I am being rather pessimistic here but cannot see this being the realistic salvation of a species. Particularly while Way Kambas is still not successfully breeding them either.

28-12-2011

Not the saviour, but if we have an unrelated pair together somewhere then could it buy time?

23-01-2012

A little bit more news on the newly captured female, Puntung. I didn't realise the injury to her leg was so severe until I read this article and saw the pictures.

Precious rhino may need extra help to mate – Daily Express ? Borneo Rhino Alliance