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| Location: |
Asia |
| Subject: |
Conservation |
| Species: |
Asian Rhino Species |
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The primary causes of the reduction of these species are of course poaching and habitat degradation, this latter problem being of much greater significance for the Asian compared with the African species of rhino. Moreover, these species, especially the Sumatran and Javan, are now subject to small-population stochastic risks (environmental, demographic and genetic) as well. As a consequence, the Asian Rhino Action Plan (published in January 1990) has been predicated on principles of population viability analysis (PVA). The resulting strategy recommended for these rhino treats each species, and in the case of the Sumatran perhaps each of its subspecies, as a population. A metapopulation is a system of disjunct subpopulations that are managed as a biological unit. The action plan proposed objectives, based on the PVA, for overall size of the metapopulation as well as for the number and minimally desirable size of each of the subpopulations. The Action Plan also incorporates both ex situ and in-situ programs and populations as integral components of the metapopulation strategy for each species. The strategy for the Sumatran rhino eminently exemplifies the Action plan. For wild populations, the action plan recommends concentration of efforts and resources on the subpopulations that are large and protectable enough to be viable for the long term (currently 7-9 of the 35 known subpopulations seem to qualify). Animals outside the viable popula- tions may be candidates for the captive propagation programs. The captive programs are progressing well. Currently there are 18 animals in captive programs being developed in Indonesia, Malaysia, the United Kingdom , and the United States. All rhinos captured so far have been so-called doomed animals that are not part of acceptably large and protectable populations.
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Asian Rhino Specialist Group
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