Northern Sumatran rhinoceros

Northern Sumatran rhinoceros
A northern Sumatran rhinoceros known as "Jackson" at London Zoo, United Kingdom. (photographed between 1903-1905)

Critically endangered, possibly extinct  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Perissodactyla
Family: Rhinocerotidae
Genus: Dicerorhinus
Species:
D. sumatrensis
Subspecies:
D. s. lasiotis
Trinomial name
Dicerorhinus sumatrensis lasiotis
(Buckland, 1872)

The northern Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis lasiotis), also known as Chittagong rhinoceros or northern hairy rhinoceros, was the most widespread subspecies of Sumatran rhinoceros, as well as the only known subspecies native to mainland Asia.

The last confirmed sighting of the Northern Sumatran rhinoceros occurred in 1960, when seven individuals were reported in captivity in various zoos and circuses.[2][3] The last unconfirmed sighting in India was in 1967, in the state of Assam, specifically near the border areas adjacent to Arunachal Pradesh.[4] In 1986, there was an unconfirmed sighting in Taman Negara National Park, Peninsular Malaysia, though the species is considered extinct in this region.[5] The last unconfirmed sighting was reported in 1993 in the Htamanthi Wildlife Sanctuary, Myanmar, where locals claimed to have seen the subspecies.[6]

While it has been officially declared as extinct on multiple occasions in early 20th century, it has been reported that small populations might still exist in the wild, such as in Burma and the Malaysian Peninsula, though it is highly doubtful.[7][8] As of 2008, it is considered as "Critically Endangered" by IUCN.[1]

  1. ^ a b van Strien, N.J.; Manullang, B.; Sectionov, Isnan, W.; Khan, M.K.M; Sumardja, E.; Ellis, S.; Han, K.H.; Boeadi, Payne, J. & Bradley Martin, E. (2008). "Dicerorhinus sumatrensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2008: e.T6553A12787457. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T6553A12787457.en.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ Rookmaaker, L. C. (1980). "The distribution of the rhinoceros in Eastern India, Bangladesh, China, and the Indo-Chinese region". Zoologische Anzeiger. 205 (3–4): 253–268.
  3. ^ Roth, T.L. (1960). International Zoo Yearbook II. Zoological Society of London. pp. 487–502.
  4. ^ Choudhury, A. U. (1997). "The status of the Sumatran rhinoceros in north-eastern India". Oryx. 31 (2): 151–152. doi:10.1017/S0030605300022010.
  5. ^ Nardelli, F. (2014). "The last chance for the Sumatran Rhinoceros?". Pachyderm. 55: 43–53.
  6. ^ Rabinowitz, A. (1995). "A survey to assess the status of the Sumatran rhinoceros and other large mammal species in Tamanthi Wildlife Sanctuary, Myanmar". Oryx. 29 (2): 123–128. doi:10.1017/S0030605300021025.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Foose was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference downwards was invoked but never defined (see the help page).