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| Location: |
Asia - South East Asia - Indonesia - Java |
| Subject: |
Distribution - Records |
| Species: |
Javan Rhino |
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disease investigated. Study by Rudolf and Lotte Schenkel together with Haerudin Sajudin. Septicaemia epizootica, a virus disease responsible for killing some 350 domestic goats and 50 buffaloes in villages adjoining Ujung Kulon NP was first considered to be the cause. This possibility was discounted since an epidemic of septicaemia would have affected banteng more reasily than rhinos; no dead banteng were found. Poaching was ruled out as all horns were intact. Poisoning from toxic waste dumped in the sea (rhinos occasionally drink sea water to obtain salt) is unlikely. We suspect the problem may have been an endemic disease that was domant and which became active under extreme climatic conditions. Anthrax, or an anthrax-like disease is suspected, because anthrax spores can remain dormant in the earth for decades and become active after heavy rains. Outbreaks of the disease were recorded locally several decades ago.
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Mystery of dead Javan rhinos remains
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