Borneo Rhino Alliance

BORA is an NGO which is dedicated to uniting partners in a concerted campaign to save the Sumatran Rhinoceros from extinction.

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Malay Mail: Puntung’s euthanasia a wake-up call for Sumatran rhino conservation, groups say

KUALA LUMPUR, May 29 — Puntung, one of Malaysia’s last three Sumatran rhinoceros’ impending euthanasia due to skin cancer should be a wake-up call to ramp up conservation efforts of the species as it could well go extinct within the next ten years, groups have said.

In a statement, WWF Malaysia pointed out that the country is now left with only one female Sumatran rhinoceros and one male rhinoceros, Iman, and that the only other country for the species is neighbouring Indonesia — where there are less than 100 of them scattered in small, isolated groups in Sumatra and Kalimantan.

“If we want to reverse this trend, then the focus of Sumatran rhinoceros conservation should be on rescuing all remaining wild individuals for management in excellent fenced facilities, increasing the number of births, and facilitating the movement of the individuals and gametes among facilities as a population management tool.

“In summary there should be a single programme with the sole goal of making baby Sumatran rhinos,” WWF Malaysia said.

It suggested the use of advanced reproductive technology (ART), as advocated by Borneo Rhino Alliance (BORA) and being attempted with renowned international reproductive scientists as a means for conservation of the species.

“Additionally, the WWF Network Executive Team (NET) has mandated the creation of a Sumatran rhino working group, comprising of representatives from WWF-Indonesia and partner offices (including WWF-US, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar) with the view of pushing the Sumatran rhino conservation to the top of the agenda for the relevant governments, and to seek a common approach and agreements among all NGOs working on Sumatran rhino conservation.

“We therefore call upon the governments of Malaysia and Indonesia, and all Sumatran rhinoceros conservation organisations, to work together as a dedicated team. Let Puntung’s passing be the final wake-up call we desperately need for an international collaboration to finally take place. Together, anything is possible.”

In a separate statement, Yayasan Sime Darby (YSD) Chairman Tun Musa Hitam said that those related to the conservation efforts should reflect on the present situation.

“After spending so much time and funding to conserve the Sumatran rhinoceros since 2009, I regret that it has come to this and let this be a lesson to all those related to the efforts as well as the world at large.

“This is a very sad development. Future generations would certainly blame us for failing to save this species from extinction,” Tun said.

From 2009 to February this year, YSD had spent RM13.8 million towards conserving the Sumatran rhinoceros, with funds channelled towards an artificial reproductive technology (ART) programme to help breed the Sumatran rhinoceros and help save the species from extinction.

Since 2009, YSD has committed RM131 million towards the protection of high conservation value ecosystems, vulnerable and endangered species as well as initiatives promoting the preservation of the environment and biodiversity.

Puntung, a 25-year-old rhino, suffered from an abscess that would not heal despite treatment since mid-March.

Last month, veterinarians assisted Puntung in extracting two molars and one premolar from its left upper jaw in bid to heal the abscess.

Puntung was captured in 2011 and is now being kept at the Borneo Rhino Sanctuary in Tabin Wildlife Reserve, Lahad Datu, with one other female and a male Sumatran rhino. The sanctuary is managed by the non-governmental organisation Borneo Rhino Alliance contracted by the SWD.

The sanctuary had planned to mate her with another captured male rhino, Tam, in a managed facility, but then found she had cysts in her uterus that made her unable to bear a pregnancy.

However, the sanctuary was reported to be working on in vitro fertilisation to breed more rhinos and to keep the species from becoming extinct altogether.

 

Read the article on Malay Mail Online

Malay Mail: Rhino Puntung to be euthanised after diagnosed with skin cancer

KUALA LUMPUR, May 28 – Puntung, one of Malaysia’s last three Sumatran rhinoceroses, will have to undergo euthanasia as it is dying from skin cancer.

According to Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) Director Augustine Tuuga, Puntung is suffering from squamous cell cancer that left the female rhinoceros in pain, unable to vocalise, and unable to breathe through its left nostril.

“It turns out that the swelling on Puntung’s left cheek that alerted us to the infected tooth root had a more serious origin.

“After the surgery, the swelling progressed and two subsequent biopsies revealed squamous cell carcinoma,” he said in a statement.

According to Tuuga, the cancer has been spreading rapidly over the recent weeks and specialists have agreed that the cancer would be fatal, with or without treatment.

“We are left with no other recourse except to agree with professional medical advice and accordingly, we have authorised euthanasia.

“This is a very difficult decision to make, but the specialists agreed that on balance, this is the best out of a very small number of unpleasant choices,” he said.

Puntung, a 25-year-old rhino, suffered from an abscess that would not heal despite treatment since mid-March.

Last month, veterinarians assisted Puntung in extracting two molars and one premolar from its left upper jaw in bid to heal the abscess.

Borneo Rhino Alliance (Bora) executive director Dr John Payne expressed condolences and shock towards Puntung’s condition.

“This is devastating news for all of those who have been involved in Puntung’s life over the past ten years.

“Bora staff who have had Puntung under intensive care over the past two months have been shocked by the very visible rapid growth in the size of the carcinoma,” said Payne in a statement.

Payne also said that his team is currently making the necessary preparations to preserve Puntung’s oocytes (eggs).

“With that, she may yet be able to contribute to the survival of her species.”

Puntung was captured in 2011 and is now being kept at the Borneo Rhino Sanctuary in Tabin Wildlife Reserve, Lahad Datu, with one other female and a male Sumatran rhino. The sanctuary is managed by the non-governmental organisation Borneo Rhino Alliance contracted by the SWD.

Read the article on Malay Mail Online

International team pulls off life-saving surgery on Puntung the rhino

By Stephanie Lee, The Star, 19 April 2017

Puntung waking up after the successful surgery.

Puntung waking up after the successful surgery.

KOTA KINABALU: A global team of veterinary experts has successfully pulled off a life-saving operation on Puntung, one of the last three Sumatran Rhinos in Malaysia.

According to the Sabah Wildlife Department, Puntung was responding well after a 140-minute surgery that began at 7am Wednesday, and was already beginning to feed by late afternoon.

Rhino conservationists breathed a cautious sigh of relief, but say it will take some time for Puntung to fully recover.

Puntung had an abscess in her jaw that would not heal despite intensive treatment since mid-March.

“This is a remarkable and successful operation that came about as a result of global discussion and multinational collaboration over the past two weeks,” department director Augustine Tuuga said in a statement.

He said Thai veterinary dentist Dr Tum Chinkangsadarn extracted two molars and one premolar from Puntung’s left upper jaw during the operation.

The animal was put under general anaesthesia for 110 minutes.

“The abscess was caused by the build-up of calcium salts on one of Puntung’s molars, causing a bacterial infection that also loosened two adjacent teeth,” Tuuga said.

Borneo Rhino Alliance (Bora) veterinarian Dr Zainal Zainuddin said they were relieved and grateful to Dr Tum, the team of doctors from the South Africa-based NGO Saving the Survivors, and the specialist veterinarians who have given Puntung a new lease of life.

“Incredibly, she started feeding within two hours of the operation but we are not done yet,” Dr Zainal said.

“There will be a period of post-op care which will mean trying to keep her clean, stress-free and under medication, including for pain relief,” he added.

Dr Abraham Mathew, senior veterinarian from Singapore Zoo, helped with the anaesthesia while Dr Johan Marais and Dr Zoe Glyphis of Saving the Survivors initiated the planning, advised on procedures and provided major financial support to ensure that the team got together in Tabin.

“We had vets in attendance, with assistance from my department as well as the Department of Wildlife and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia and Bora,” Tuuga said.

He added that the surgical team did a fantastic job even though it was the first time they had worked together.

Read the article on The Star Online

New lease of life for sick rhino

The Daily Express, 20 April 2017

Kota Kinabalu: A life-saving operation has now given a new lease of life to Puntung, one of the two remaining female Sumatran rhinos in the country.

Puntung started feeding within two hours after the operation ended but post-operation care is still needed to ensure her environment remains clean, stress free and medication for pain relief, said Borneo Rhino Alliance veterinarian Dr Zainal Z Zainuddin. The 20-year-old rhino had suffered from an untreatable sepsis since mid-March this year.

Two molar teeth and one premolar from the rhino’s upper jaw were extracted in the operation which lasted two hours and 20 minutes at the Tabin Wildlife Reserve, about 48km from Lahad Datu, Wednesday.

According to the Wildlife Department, the success was due to the assistance rendered by experts from Thailand and Singapore.

“This was a remarkable and successful operation that came about as a result of global discussion and multi-national collaboration over the last two weeks,” said the department’s Director, Augustine Tuuga, in a statement here.

Thai veterinary dentist Dr Tum Chinkangsadarn carried out the extraction and Singapore Zoo senior veterinarian Abraham Mathew aided in the anaesthetics.

South Africa-based “Saving the Survivors” group, Dr Johan Marais and Dr Zoe Glyphis, initiated the planning, procedures and provided major financial support for the operation.

Augustine said the two vets did a fantastic job despite working together for the first time to save Puntung.

“We also had department vets in attendance and to assist, as well as from the Department of Wildlife and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo Rhino Alliance,” he said.

The procedure began around 7am with x-ray done on Puntung which was under sedation.

Puntung was then put under general anaesthesia for 110 minutes before work on the severe calcification on large molar, where bacteria had accumulated causing an abscess, was carried out.

The calcification had also loosened two adjacent teeth.

Borneo Rhino Alliance veterinarian Dr Zainal Z Zainuddin said they were relieved over the operation, saying the specialist vets involved had given Puntung a new lease of life.

Read the article in the Daily Express online

Rhino has successful dental surgery

The Borneo Post, 20 April 2017

KOTA KINABALU: After a successful dental surgery, Puntung, one of the only two female Sumatran rhinos still alive in Malaysia is showing signs of improvement.

She has started eating and wildlife officials and rhino conservationists in the state breathed a big sigh of relief after the surgery by Thai veterinary dentist Dr Tum Chinkangsadarn, State Wildlife Department director Augustine Tuuga said.

Puntung has been suffering since mid-March from an abscess inside her upper jaw that would not heal despite treatment.

Augustine said that Dr Tum extracted two molar teeth and one premolar from Puntung’s left upper jaw during the operation that lasted two hours and twenty minutes on Wednesday morning.

“This was a remarkable and successful operation that came about as a result of global discussion and multi-national collaboration over the past two weeks,” he said.

“Sabah thanks Dr Tum and the team who had not worked together before but who did a fantastic job. Dr Abraham Mathew, senior veterinarian from Singapore zoo helped with anaesthesia. Dr Johan Marais and Dr Zoe Glyphis of South Africa-based ‘Saving the Survivors’ initiated the planning, advised on procedures and provided major financial support to ensure that the team got together in Tabin.

“We had vets in attendance and assisting from my department as well as Wildlife Department and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo Rhino Alliance,” he said.

The procedure started at 7am with X-rays done under sedation. Then Puntung was put under general anaesthesia for 110 minutes.

Dr Tum noted severe calcification of one large molar,  which is where bacteria initially accumulated and led to the abscess. The calcification has also loosened two adjacent teeth.

Borneo Rhino Alliance veterinarian Dr Zainal Z Zainuddin said, “We are so relieved and very grateful to Dr Tum, ‘Saving the Survivors’ and the specialist vets who had given Puntung a new lease of life.

“Incredibly, she started feeding within two hours of the operation ending. But we are not done yet. There will be a period of post operation care which will mean trying to keep Puntung clean, stress-free and under medication including for pain relief,” Dr Zainal said.

To a question if the removal of Puntung’s molar would affect her survival as she won’t be able to chew properly, Augustine replied, “We hope for the best.”

Read the article on The Borneo Post online

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