 Reference Base  Rhinoceros sondaicus: the Javan or lesser one-horned rhin... |
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Loch, C.W., 1937. Rhinoceros sondaicus: the Javan or lesser one-horned rhinoceros and its geographical distribution. Journal of the Malayan Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society 15 (2): 130-149, pls. 3-4, table 1
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| Location: |
Asia - South East Asia - Malaysia - Peninsular |
| Subject: |
Distribution - Records |
| Species: |
Javan Rhino |
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E. The ?Sungai Palawan'Rhinoceros. In the same paper Mr. Barnard describes how he and his brother Mr. H. C. Barnard shot a male of the species in 1898 on the Sungai Palawan near Chikus, Lower Perak. At that time, of course, the country around here was mostly virgin forest and practically uninhabited, as a great deal of it is to-day. Looking for Seladang they came across the rhino tracks. They followed him all the morning and eventually, a little after midday, found him standing in a pool of mud in which he had been wallowing. The wallow was evidently one that had been used for a long time, and the absence of undergrowth and small trees let in more light than usually gets through the overhead cover in the forest. As Mr. Barnard describes it: ?My brother fired and there was a loud snort and a rush. A moment later 1 saw the rhino standing about twenty yards away on our left. Whether this rush was meant for a charge or not, it is impossible to say. If it was so meant it was a very bad shot. He was broadside on and as he stood throwing his great head up and down, he was a very fine sight. He made no apparent attempt to move and two more shots brought him down. Curiously enough he did not fall on his side, but collapsed in an upright position with his hind legs under him and his nose resting on his forelegs.'
The head was taken, the four feet and the tail, and eventually sent to England; this trophy is still in existence and will possibly some day get to a museum. The animal was a big male over eleven feet in length and over five feet at the shoulder. The horn was seven and a half inches. Barnard states: ?At the time of the incident here recorded there was nothing to suggest that R. sondaicus was becoming rare. Had we known the true state of things we should perhaps have left this one in peace and he might, for another thirtyfour years, have kept company with Mr. Vernay's old lady.'
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