SOS
Rhino Review
July 2005
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. Feature Stories
2. World Rhino News
3. Donor Appreciation
4. Find It On Our Web Site
5. Trivia Questions
6. How You Can Help
7. Trivia Answers
8. About Us
Full Stories Are Available Via Web Links
1. Feature Stories
MONTHLY FIELD REPORT
MAY 2005
By Dr. Edwin Bosi
May 1st is Labor Day, a public holiday in Malaysia to honor the hard working
people of the Nation. As the 1st of May fell on Sunday, the following Monday
is automatically a public holiday. But for us in the conservation work, everyday
seems a great day for working. Today, we headed for another rhino survey along
the Tabin river. With me was Dr. Janna Wynne, a senior veterinarian at Los Angeles
Zoo and my assistants - Suzali, Amit, Frederic and Yusri.
2. World Rhino News
Poaching Declining In Swaziland
In the little kingdom of
Swaziland, a tough animal preservation law has cut poaching by
90 percent since its enactment ten years ago, while the bloody
extinction of rhino has come entirely to a halt.
Armed Conflict Impact On Conservation
EDITORIAL/OPINION
WHEN the census takers were counting the greater one-horned rhinoceros in the
jungles of Chitwan valley recently, it was not only the 170
big animals that had disappeared. Something else, equally important
from the conservation perspective, were also missing. The number
of security posts that guarded the world's rare animals had
also vanished to worrisome levels.
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
Rhino Links
These are organizations and institutions that SOS Rhino works with
or has worked with, knows, or just thinks you should know. It is
by no means complete. If you have other links you think should be
listed on this site, send their addresses and some information on
the organizations to info@sosrhino.org.
5. Trivia Questions
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”?
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. 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:
7. Trivia Answers
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.
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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.
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