We were all shocked and saddened by the death of Iman, Malaysia’s last Sumateran Rhino. Her death not only meant the extinction of the species within Malaysia, but it also was a sign to us humans on how we take responsibility for the many other species in this world.
Despite the lack of compassion humans may show our fellow denizens of the Earth, no one can deny the technological advancement that we have brought forward. This technological advancement may be the only key for Iman’s death to not be in vain.
Source: TheStar
The efforts towards the conservation of the Sumatran Rhino species has not ended though Iman has died. According to the executive director of Borneo Rhino Alliance (Bora), Datuk Dr Junaidi Payne, Malaysia and its affiliates in Germany and Italy, as well as in the Bogor Agricultural University, may help in the revival of female Sumatran rhino through reproductive pathology where eggs are harvested from live rhinos and tissue culture is done.
“Iman, Tam, Puntung and Gelogob, the last four Sumatran Rhinos are still alive in tissue culture. The technology is here to create eggs and sperms from this cell. The technology to insert the embryo of another species into a different womb will be with us very very soon.”
He also expressed his disappointment in the lack of action that was taken to prevent the extinction of this species. Dr Junaidi told Harian Metro that separating the conservation programme to Sabah, Peninsular Malaysia, East Kalimantan, Acheh and Lampung, Indonesia is an extremely unwise move. He added that those who were in power and high influence REJECTED the opportunity to save these species.
Source: WWFMalaysia
The shockingly disheartening part is that even the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) didn’t help maintain the conservation of this species, which eventually lead to its extinction. According to Dr. Junaidi, the Indonesian government refused to even consider IVF and were adamant on using natural reproductive methods – which may have been okay 50 years ago but now is just a wasted opportunity.
The only way we can stop or the at least reduce the further extinction of any species is if we SET ASIDE our differences and band together. The technology is available and if we can use it to save or bring back a species, why can’t we do it?
Also read: Malaysia’s Last Sumatran Rhino, Iman, May Die of Cancer Very Soon
