Rare Borneo rhino caught on film for the first time

You can watch the video at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,2064344,00.html

Matt Weaver
Tuesday April 24, 2007
Guardian Unlimited

One of the world's rarest species, the Borneo rhino, has been caught on video for the first time in a project that could help save it from extinction, it was announced today.

Conservationists fear there could be as few as 25 rhinos of this shy species left in the jungles of Borneo. They are concerned that the remaining animals are so isolated that they do not meet each other enough to breed.

The elusive nature of the species was immortalised by Redmond O'Hanlon in his bestselling book Into the Heart of Borneo, based on his account of trying to track down a rhino on the island.

They are so secretive that the first still photograph of a Borneo rhino was taken last year. Now, thanks to a new video camera trap developed by the WWF, moving pictures of a Borneo rhino have been recorded.

The film shows a rhino emerging from the undergrowth to noisily sniff the camera equipment.

Raymond Alfred, project manager for the WWF Asian Rhino and Elephant Action Strategy, said filming the species would help to conserve it by giving experts a greater understanding of its behaviour and physical health.

"The footage will be used to determine the condition of the rhinos in the wild," he said. "But we have to realise that these rhinos could face extinction in the next 10 years if their habitat continues to be disturbed and enforcement is not in place."

One of the biggest threats to the species is poaching. Its horn is said to be worth as much as gold on the black market. It is also threatened by the destruction of its forest habitat for agriculture and development.

The Borneo rhino is a subspecies of the Sumatran rhino, which is also extremely rare. The WWF estimates there are fewer that 300 Sumatran rhinos worldwide.