![]() An ancestral species split into three about 360,000 years ago. (Females do not like mating in zoos.)Ĭlues to the evolutionary history of the animals lie in their DNA sequences. The tiny populations have been shrinking, as the animals die faster than they can replace themselves. Stranded animals mated with relatives, leading over the generations to diminishing genetic diversity as recessive alleles (gene variants) doubled up and caused disease. The Sumatran rhino is critically endangered, a result of periodic isolation of populations as sea levels rose and fell during the Pleistocene epoch from 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago. It’s more closely related to the woolly rhinos of the ice age than the other four species (Indian, Javan, and white and black in Africa). “Genomic insights into the conservation status of the world’s last remaining Sumatran rhinoceros populations” appears in Nature Communications.Ī Sumatran rhino is the smallest rhino, weighing just under a ton and standing nearly five feet. Taking a census is challenging, although they “sing.” It isn’t known how many of them exist, exactly, but the number is small.Ī multinational research team has unearthed clues in the genomes of 21 of the animals, five “historical” from the Malay Peninsula where they are extinct, and 16 modern genomes from the remaining populations on Sumatra and Borneo. More than 40 countries are represented at the two-day meeting, alongside NGOs and conservation groups, the third held since Britain hosted it in 2014 and Botswana last year.Sumatran rhinoceroses are solitary creatures that browse the dense rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra, living in small, scattered, shrinking groups. ![]() "This is a global issue and no single industry, sector or country can effectively combat the problem of illegal wildlife trafficking," she added, urging international cooperation to combat the scourge. "The illegal wildlife trade on a global scale has increased and become more complicated," said Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh. Vietnam's vice president earlier echoed Prince William's urgent appeal. It's not easy to buy, you need to be introduced by someone who trusts you," said the man, who runs a trinket shop, declining to provide his name. If there are, they must be doing it secretly. "There used to be shops selling ivory, now I don't hear of them anymore. There were no illegal wildlife products to be found in the village Thursday, with one shopowner telling AFP it has become increasingly difficult to find such items. Their year-long probe also uncovered hollowed out rhino feet and baby tiger cub wine for sale, mostly for Chinese tourists. if we keep going this way we won't have any more of these iconic species." In an illustration of the challenges, a WJC investigation Nhi Khe village just 20 kilometres (12 miles) south of Hanoi found a major black market for illegal wildlife products such as tiger skins, rhino horns, ivory and pangolins. "Online they're still operating unimpeded, Facebook, WeChat, there's still a tremendous amount of wildlife being offered for sale," said Wildlife Justice Commission director Olivia Swaak-Goldman. 'Time bomb' - Pressure on Vietnam has seen much of the trade move to the web, led by China's popular social media platform WeChat. ![]() Stricter law enforcement in China in recent years has driven many buyers to Vietnam, which conservation groups have said is failing to punish criminals and enforce the law. The global illegal wildlife industry, worth an estimated $20 billion, is driven chiefly by demand in Vietnam and China for decorations or traditional medicines with little or no proven benefit. A betting man would still bet on extinction." The prince cautioned that poachers and trafficking syndicates are becoming more sophisticated and said appetites for wildlife products such as ivory and rhino horn need to be stamped out. "While we've made progress, the truth is we are still falling behind. Rhinos, elephants, pangolins, lions, they are still being killed in horrifying numbers," he said at the Hanoi Conference on Illegal Wildlife Trade. "We know that we aren't moving fast enough to keep up with the crisis. ![]() William, a conservation champion, urged governments around the world to act to save vulnerable species before it is too late. With its growing class of wealthy elites, Vietnam has become a main market for rhino horn and ivory and a key transit route for the smuggling of illegal wildlife products from Africa to other Asian countries, notably China. Britain's Prince William on Thursday warned that vulnerable species are being killed at a "horrifying" rate, as he addressed a wildlife conference in Vietnam - a country criticised for failing to curb the illicit animal product trade. ![]()
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