Sumatran rhinos approaching extinction

[MA-Caver]

Rhino population at Indonesian reserve drops by 90 percent in 14 years
Sun Dec 19, 2:32 PM ET
JAKARTA (AFP) - The Sumatran rhino, the most endangered of all rhinoceros, is fast heading to extinction with its population at one of its last reserves in Indonesia dropping by 90 percent in 14 years to 50, an official said.
The director for forest protection and nature conservation at the forestry ministry, Widodo Sukardi, told the state Antara news agency the number of Sumatran rhinos at Kerinci Seblat national park (TNKS) was now down to about 50 from around 500 in 1990.
The TNKS is the country's largest national reserve, straddling four provinces on Sumatra island -- West Sumatra, Jambi, Bengkulu and South Sumatra. It is one of the last reserves for the small and hairy Sumatran rhinoceros.
The dwindling rhinoceros population of the park was mostly due to illegal hunting and poaching by people in Bengkulu and West Sumatra, a Bengkulu province official was quoted by Antara as saying.
The officials called on people in and around the TNKS to refrain from hunting the rare animal as well other wildlife in the reserve.
To keep the Sumatran rhinos from extinction, Sukardi said his office would relocate captured rhinos to a safer location in the Way Kambas National Park in Lampung province, also on Sumatra.
The International Rhino Foundation has estimated there are fewer than 300 Sumatran rhinos surviving in very small and highly fragmented populations in Southeast Asia with Indonesia and Malaysia being home to most.

I think this is really sad. Hundreds of species are now extinct and many of them because of man's greed and ignorance. Now this one is fast on the list. While it's not a beautiful animal it does have it's place in the wild Read More about this animal here.
We find ways to make our world better but at the same time animals suffer largely because they don't fit in to the scheme of things when people are concerned.
There are many more animals besides this particular species of rhino (in fact every species of rhino is endangered) that are endangered, some are well known as the Tiger and Panda and of course Cetaceans or whales. But many-many more animals, plants, birds, insects are threatened to being wiped out.
We can try to use cloning technology to preserve much of these creatures but it can only go so far. Question is are we really gonna care enough to actually try and do something to save them. With wars, and human expansion it doesn't seem likely.
What do you all think? How can we better ourselves to save what we have left?

 

[Feisty Mouse]

Excellent question. Wish I had an answer. This issue is very near and dear to my heart.


And rhinos in particular. I love 'em. I think they are fabulous.


A few good books on extinction/endangered species, for any interested:

Last Chance to See by Douglas Adams

The Fate of the Elephant by Douglas Chadwick

The Last Panda by George Schaller

Song of the Dodo by David Quammen

Of Tigers and Men by Richard Ives

Song for the Blue Ocean by Carl Safina



It breaks my heart, and it's a shame.

 

[Kane]

I think this is really sad. Hundreds of species are now extinct and many of them because of man's greed and ignorance. Now this one is fast on the list. While it's not a beautiful animal it does have it's place in the wild Read More about this animal here.
We find ways to make our world better but at the same time animals suffer largely because they don't fit in to the scheme of things when people are concerned.
There are many more animals besides this particular species of rhino (in fact every species of rhino is endangered) that are endangered, some are well known as the Tiger and Panda and of course Cetaceans or whales. But many-many more animals, plants, birds, insects are threatened to being wiped out.
We can try to use cloning technology to preserve much of these creatures but it can only go so far. Question is are we really gonna care enough to actually try and do something to save them. With wars, and human expansion it doesn't seem likely.
What do you all think? How can we better ourselves to save what we have left?

Well we can't just blame ourselves for everything. Remember we are animals too physically and don't think if a dog evolved into the dominant species that they would not do the same, even if they didn't mean it.

One of the biggest problems affecting wildlife is habitat lose. This is because humans are building cities where wildlife is. This is especially threatening my favorite type of animals; apes. The easy thing to do is blame that it is our fault for that and it maybe it is but thinks this: We are trying to survive just like them. As our population increases the need for new land is needed for us to survive.

Furthermore I think that the best way to tackle is to create special wildlife parks surrounded by a thick fence and heavily guarded. We need to mark these spots places where we cannot develop any civilization.

Easier said than done but it is getting better for animals contrary to popular belief. Animals we much worse off 20-30 years ago and as time progresses Wildlife will be better protected.

 

[Feisty Mouse]

Kane - I understand what you are saying, but as a thinking (ha ha) species, we are responsible for our actions. We could say that if there were giant slugs, they would also try to take over the world, but I'd like to think we have a tad more ... well, humanity - and foresight than that. Maybe not.

Habitat loss is key. Guarded and walled areas are a nice idea, and might work well for smaller species, but a lot of the "sexy beasts" (i.e. the species people think are cool or cute or like us) need a lot of land to roam in.

In Song of the Dodo Quammen talks about island biodiversity - it's a real problem. Extinctions occur a LOT more rapidly on islands - and with the few remaining protected areas, we have created islands for species, increasing their chances of extinction even as we try to help them as best we can.

I think education of how important complex ecosystems are is vital - if people won't protect ecosystems because it is the right thing to do, or prudent, maybe they will when they are given a "bottom line" as to what natural areas (and all the species naturally-occurring in them) "do" for us every day - like clean our air, our water, absorb all the CO2 humans are sending into the atmosphere, etc.