Near-extinct rhinos found in Borneo

An expedition to the remote jungles of northern Borneo has found a group of at least 13 Sumatran rhinos, a species teetering on the brink of extinction.

Scientists and government officials believe that the rhinos are part of a small breeding population that has so far escaped the attention of illegal poachers.

Rhino horn commands high prices on the black market - weight for weight it is worth almost as much as gold - because of its use in traditional Asian medicines.

The Sumatran rhinos were discovered last year in the state of Sabah, known as the 'heart of Borneo', but their presence was kept a secret until the government could ensure their protection, according to the conservation organisation WWF.

"Poaching has decimated Borneo's once-healthy rhino population, but we were heartened to find that a few individuals have managed to survive," said Raymond Alfred of WWF-Malaysia.

"Conservationists and Sabah government agencies are working hard to ensure this small population is protected and can grow," Mr Alfred said.

The Sumatran rhino population on Borneo was thought to number between 30 and 70 individuals before this latest find and all of them lived in the Malaysian state of Sabah.

Sumatran rhinos in the bigger states of Kalimantan and Sarawak have already become extinct.

All other Sumatran rhinos - thought to number about 300 in the wild - live on the island of Sumatra or the Asian mainland.

Christy Williams, head of WWF's Asian rhino programme, said that the rhinos were discovered after two weeks of trekking in heavy tropical rains through the leech-infested jungle of northern Borneo.

"This is the first time we have found so many rhinos in a compact location - it's a great discovery," Mr Williams told the Associated Press.

The expedition estimated the number of rhinos from their tracks rather than direct sightings.

"There is also evidence that there are young animals in the group so it would appear that breeding is indeed taking place," Mr Williams said.

The Sumatran rhino on Borneo is a different subspecies to the one living on Sumatra and, unlike its close cousin, is strictly forest dwelling, venturing out into the open only in unusual circumstances.

It feeds on the leaves of a wide variety of seedlings and young trees and is one of the most endangered populations of wild animals in the world.

"Sabah holds the last hope for this rhino. We had all thought rhinos were in much worse shape," Mr Williams said.

"The results from the survey of Borneo's rhinos are crucial additions to our scientific understanding of the species. We believe this population may be viable and could recover if their habitat is protected and the threat of poaching is eliminated," he said.

Other threatened species on Borneo include clouded leopards, sun bears and three species of monkeys found nowhere else in the world, said WWF.

- INDEPENDENT