Friday, April 08, 2016

Sabah NGO Borneo Rhino Alliance ready to help Kalimantan in saving Sumatran rhinos


KOTA KINABALU: A non-governmental organization in Borneo that has been rescuing critically endangered Sumatran rhinos since 2008 under a program to prevent the species’ extinction, is ready to play a new role with Indonesia.

Borneo Rhino Alliance (BORA) dedicated to preventing the extinction of the Sumatran rhino, is greatly saddened to learn of the death of Najaq, the first rhino captured in Kalimantan, in recent times.

“Najaq was captured less than 700 kilometers south of the Borneo Rhino Sanctuary in Sabah, so she might even be distantly related to our rhinos,” said Dr John Payne, Executive Director of BORA, the organization entrusted with the care of the last three Malaysian Sumatran rhinos in Sabah.

“We recall the cordial visit of representatives of the government of Indonesia and WWF-Indonesia in early 2015 to observe our captive rhinos.

We would value collaboration with Indonesia through the mutual exchange of information and expertise.

“If Indonesia should so desire, we can bring to the Sabah government the idea of sharing Sabah’s remaining rhinos, or their gametes, in support of Indonesia’s efforts to save this ancient species,” he said.

BORA chairman Dr Abdul Hamid Ahmad applauded the Indonesian government’s decision to rescue the remaining rhinos in Kalimantan.

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