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| Location: |
Asia - South East Asia - Malaysia - Peninsular |
| Subject: |
Distribution - Records |
| Species: |
Asian Rhino Species |
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The information contained in Mr F. P. Burgess' letter [This Journal, p. 163, March 1951] is more valuable than he may believe. Up to date knowledge of the distribution of Rhinoceros is meagre and all first hand information is most useful not only in itself, but as narrowing the field when long overdue research can commence.
The size of tracks is not conclusive, but all such evidence is valuable if supported by accurate details. Some years ago when the Vemey Expedition was looking for Rhinoceros sondaicus in Lower Perak, tracks, which to the best of my recollection measured 20.5 cm, proved to be those of a very old and unusually large specimen of Rhinoceros sumatrensis. A track of 23 cm. or over, measured on firm level ground should indicate the presence of R. sondaicus.
The last specimen recorded from the West Coast was a very old cow collected for the British Museum by the expedition referred to and I have seen no evidence proving the presence of other survivors in this area. Some years before the war, the late T. R. Hubback expressed the opinion that R. sondaicus was approaching extinction in Malaya, with possibly one or two isolated individuals surviving which could not propogate the species. He also held the belief that this species penetrated into the Malay Peninsula from Tenasserim, infiltrated down the West Coast, but never crossed the main range. I have never been able to see any valid reason why R. sondaicus should not have penetrated to the East Coast and have felt that a final pronouncement would be premature without exhaustive research in at least three areas from which credible reports of unusually large tracks have been received. The war put an end to research and circumstances will not permit of resumption at present, which goes to enhance the value of reports from independent observers.
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Rhinoceroses
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