Dicerorhinus sumatrensis lasiotis (Northern Sumatran Rhino)

[another specialist]

I've definately got a book somewhere which has this pic in it i just can't remember which one...

It's more likely packed away ready for the shippers next week - moving to Spain on 14th July...

[Peter]

Oh thanks! Another Specialist, so you are moving to the warm south of Europe. I wish I could do that too, because summer seems to stay away this year! But anyway, if anyone does know where this photo has been made or by who, please post it here: Extinction Forum Topic: Bubal Hartebeest - Click here to visit

The picture can also be seen that that topic.

But let we all continue about the possibly extinct Sumatran Rhino subspecies here!

[another specialist]

ok m8 but i believe you will find a pic of this rhino subspecies in that book....

[sebbe67]

pic here

planet-mammiferes.org

[Melanie]

Pic found by Sebbe

[another specialist]

common name the northern sumatran Rhino

[another specialist]

Dicerorhinus sumatrensis lasiotis is probably extinct, but there are persistent rumors/reports that a few may survive near the India-Burma border.

www.rhinos-irf.org/rhinoinformation/sumatranrhino/subspecies/

[Melanie]

@sebbe nobody can see the last picture.

[Irbis]

Info from the excellent International Rfino Foundation site:
There are three recognized subspecies of Sumatran Rhinos:
- Dicerorhinus sumatrensis sumatrensis (Western), on Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula and formerly Thailand and Indochina;
- Dicerorhinus sumatrensis lasiotis formerly in Burma and Eastern India;
-Dicerorhinus sumatrensis harrissoni (Eastern) on Borneo. Only Dicerorhinus sumatrensis sumatrensis and Dicerorhinus sumatrensis harrissoni are definitely know to survive.
Dicerorhinus sumatrensis lasiotis is probably extinct, but there are persistent rumors/reports that a few may survive near the India-Burma border.

Source: www.rhinos-irf.org/rhinoinformation/sumatranrhino/subspecies/index.htm



Conservation Status
The Sumatran rhinoceros as a species is classified as critically endangered by the IUCN (1996). However, D. s. lasiotis is believed to be extinct, and both D. s. harrissoni and D. s. sumatrensis are considered critically endangered.
Sourse: www.ultimateungulate.com/Perissodactyla/Dicerorhinus_sumatrensis.html

[sebbe67]

This is Sumatra rhino subspecies that once lived in India, Bangladesh and Burma. The last reports are from the 1920 and hunting was thought to have wiped out this rhino but many reports from locals and 2 freshly killed animals shows that this rhino still are left, in small numbers. The subspecies should never has been listed as extinct but as perhaps extinct according to Indian naturlists, beacuse large parts of its former range hasent been surveyed since the 1800. Locals has probably always known about the present of this rhino in the area.

Survival of the isolated subspecies lasiotis in northern
Myanmar is confirmed by the continuing appearance of
rhino products of Burmese origin in northern Thailand.
As the situation permits, the status of the species in
northern Myanmar should be investigated to determine
the necessary in situ and ex situ conservation requirements.

[sebbe67]

The only photo I know of a true specimen
www.birdlifeindochina.org/report_pdfs/babbler6.pdf
it was shot in Myanmar 1930, just found it, very intresting.

A gamebook for Burma and Adjoining territories

[Melanie]

Do you have more information about this report (especially about the year of the rediscovey) because i find it strange that the IUCN have apparently no knowledge of this report and made a reassement. It is still listed as extinct in the 2006 redlist.

sebbe67 said:

Survival of the isolated subspecies lasiotis in northern
Myanmar is confirmed by the continuing appearance of
rhino products of Burmese origin in northern Thailand.
As the situation permits, the status of the species in
northern Myanmar should be investigated to determine
the necessary in situ and ex situ conservation requirements.

[sebbe67]

Survival of the isolated subspecies lasiotis in northern
Myanmar is confirmed by the continuing appearance of
rhino products of Burmese origin in northern Thailand.

The subspecies should never has been listed as extinct but as perhaps possibly extinct according to Indian naturlists, beacuse large parts of its former range hasent been surveyed since the 1800.

I see these two examples as good arguments, the products in Northern Thailand are unlikely to origin from Sumatra. And the fact that the former range have been covered very poorly. Some 50% of natural habitat still exist in Myanmar, that much and about 20% of this has never/very rarely been visited in the last 100-150 years.

The fact that locals report rhinos is another evidence, few other mammals can be confused with rhinos;

And this text, status of the Sumatran Rhinoceros in Myanmar is poorly known; if it does still exist, this may be the last refuge for this subspecies. , from the IUCN website, by the IUCN standards it should not be considered extinct, more like CR, as they have no info, what so ever about the occurence in Myanmar. The IUCN fact sheet havent been updated since 1996 despite that most recent info has become avaible since then, suggesting that IUCN is badly informed or dont care looking into it.

[Melanie]

Can you give me the source for that report. I would like to wrote to the IUCN and asked them if they have knowdledge of these information and whether it is not time to make a reassesment.

[sebbe67]

Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan for Asian rhinos is the source for most of the info.

[Melanie]

Ok, thank you very much.

[Melanie]

Well, i have written the following question to the IUCN:

Dear Mr. McMullin,

i have a question about the assessment of Dicerorhinus sumatrensis lasiotis. The IUCN Redlist 2006 is listed this species as globally extinct with no assessment changing since 1996. Now i have found the following information:
5.7 Myanmar

Survival of the isolated subspecies lasiotis in northern

Myanmar is confirmed by the continuing appearance of

rhino products of Burmese origin in northern Thailand.

As the situation permits, the status of the species in

northern Myanmar should be investigated to determine

the necessary in situ and ex situ conservation requirements.



Source: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan Asian rhinos www.rhinos-irf.org/technicalprograms/asrsg/AsRSG_Action%20Plan2.pdf

Doesn't this information mean that a reassesment and uplisting to the CR category might be necessary?

--
This question was forwarded to the Rhino Specialist Group and now we have to wait for the reply.

[Melanie]

I've received the following email today:

Most likely a few Sumatran rhino (presumably the D.s. lasiotis subspecies,
as it was described from Burma, though from Chittagong in the far south of
the country!) are surviving in Myanmar. We have also some unconfirmed
reports of Sumatrans in the south of Myanmar about 10 years ago. Indeed
occasionally Sumatran rhino horns turn op in the market in Thailand that
are allegedly coming from Myanmar. But the number is very small. Some may
also still be found along the Myanmar - India border. The problem is that
most areas where rhino are could occur are no-go areas, controlled by
rebels, drug dealers or smugglers.

D.s. lasiotis is probably not really extinct - and certainly not for 50
years, as is the criterion if I remember correctly - but it is
'functionally extinct', as probably nothing can be done to preserve the
last few relics hiding in a some remote and inaccessible locations.

Kind regards. Nico van Strien

What, do you think. Move back to extinct?

[sebbe67]

melanie said:

I've received the following email today:

Most likely a few Sumatran rhino (presumably the D.s. lasiotis subspecies,
as it was described from Burma, though from Chittagong in the far south of
the country!) are surviving in Myanmar. We have also some unconfirmed
reports of Sumatrans in the south of Myanmar about 10 years ago. Indeed
occasionally Sumatran rhino horns turn op in the market in Thailand that
are allegedly coming from Myanmar. But the number is very small. Some may
also still be found along the Myanmar - India border. The problem is that
most areas where rhino are could occur are no-go areas, controlled by
rebels, drug dealers or smugglers.

D.s. lasiotis is probably not really extinct - and certainly not for 50
years, as is the criterion if I remember correctly - but it is
'functionally extinct', as probably nothing can be done to preserve the
last few relics hiding in a some remote and inaccessible locations.

Kind regards. Nico van Strien

What, do you think. Move back to extinct?

Why move it back to extinct?

[Melanie]

Because it is functionally extinct (e.g. compare with Columbia Basin Pygmy Rabbit) and therefor that its habitat is a no go area we would perhaps never learn when it will be really extinct.