Rix, C.E., 1978. Royal Zoological Society of South Australia 1878-1978. Adelaide, Zoological Society of South Australia
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| Location: |
Captive - Australia |
| Subject: |
Captivity - Zoo Records |
| Species: |
Javan Rhino |
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In1886 the Director, R. E. Minchin, while on a trip to Ceylon, Malaya, and Siam in search of live specimens for the Gardens, purchased, in Singapore, an 'Indian' Rhinoceros which was believed to be Rhinoceros unicornis and this specimen was a show piece among the exhibits until it died in 1907, after 21 years in the Zoo (see photo p. 12). A post mortem examination showed that it had died of old age and that its teeth were so worn that it could not properly masticate its food. For the previous 18 months to 2 years it had been kept alive by feeding it bran mashes and similar foods. The body was handed over to the S.A. Museum which had it skinned and mounted for exhibition in that institution. In 1948 a visiting American professor, Dr. Harold C. Coolidge, saw the exhibit and recognised it as being a Javan Rhinoceros, R. sondaicus, and not the Indian species.
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Royal Zoological Society of South Australia 1878-1978
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