 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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J. The Sungei Lampan Rhino. The last animal of this species tobe shot in Malaya was obtained in January, 1932, on the Sungai Lampan near Degong and Telok Anson, Perak. Mr. A. S. Vernay of London and New York, whose collections in the Faunthorpe-Vernay Galleries in the New York Museum are well known to naturalists, had for long wished to obtain specimens of this scarce animal for both the British Museum and for the Natural History Museum in New York. Mr. Vernay had already been to considerable expense in his endeavour to collect a specimen in the Tenasserim District of Lower Burma with no success however. The Game Department of Malaya, where wild life is steadily decreasing, does not give licenses freely. In the interests of the British Museum, the Chief Secretary of the Federated Malay States, on the recommendation of Mr. Theodore Hubback, gave his consent to the collection of a specimen, if one could be found isolated and incapable of reproducing its species. Such an animal was known to the Game Departmerit to have lived for many years isolated from others, in the neighbourhood of Telok Anson. It followed a fairly restricted area south of the Kroh Forest Reserve, and more or less west of Degong Railway Station. Vernay was accompanied by Major Guy Rowley a well known big-game hunter. Captain Beresford Holloway who made an excellent collection of interesting specimens for the British Museum came out at the same time. Mr. W. E. MacNaught, the Game Warden of Perak, with his assistants organised the arrangements in Malaya and the camp was made at Sungai Samak not far from Degong.
Three days after making camp, the party set out at 7 a.m. and fresh tracks were found and followed through dense and difficult jungle. At 10.30 a.m. the rhino was discovered in a dense thicket of bush and cane-brake at about eight yards. The head was seen, the stump of horn giving the impression that it was a male beast, as in this species the horn is usually absent in the female. The animal was killed by a bullet in the skull, with a second shot behind the shoulder for safety. It travelled in a half-circle for some forty yards and dropped dead; when to evervone's surprise it was found to be an immense cow, measuring five feet three inches at the shoulder and ten feet eight inches over all. The skeleton was sent home with the skin which was set up by Rowland Ward and is now to be seen in the British Museum. Immediately after the killing of the animal, the skin and flesh were removed under the direction of an Indian taxidermist lent by the Bombay Museum. A number of Sakai assisted and so heavy was the skin that it had to be brought out of the forest in two parts. The writer was fortunate in seeing the party going into the forest and returning a few days later with the trophies. It formed the most impressive sight, to see a long line of Sakai passing one after the other through the jungle headed by Vernay, the skin in two parts carried on long bamboo poles on their shoulders under the charge of Hartley, the assistant Game Warden with at long last Major Rowley bringing up the rear. At the 11-Mile on the Degong Road, all the Sakai were paid off and the skin taken to the Kampar Rest House. Vernay was taking no chances with the local Chinese and a Malay Ranger lay all night under the skin at the Rest House with a drawn parang.
It is very surprising that this great mammal had existed so long in this locality actually being killed within four miles of the town of Telok Anson, where tea parties and tennis are in full swing. While the skin of the rhinoceros was being hung up for the night at the Rest House 100 yards away, music and dancing were to be heard at a Kampar Club night; a contrast between the modern and the primitive, that one often notices in Malaya.
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