The Bornean Rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis harrissoni) is a sub-species of the Asian Two-horned Rhinoceros, more commonly known as the Sumatran Rhinoceros. A sub-species of the Borneo Rhinoceros is the Sumatran Rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis sumatrensis) which occurs in Sumatra, Indonesia and in Borneo.

The Sumatran Rhinoceros is considered critically endangered. Only some 50 rhinos exist in the wild. Around 30 or more of these are in Sabah. The species has been decimated mainly because of deforestation, resulting in the loss of their natural habitat, and poaching.

There are currently two small breeding populations of the Rhinoceros in Sabah, one in the Danum Valley Conservation area (about 13 rhinos) and the other in Tabin Wildlife Reserve (about 15 rhinos). A few remnant rhinos are surviving in scattered locations in eastern and central Sabah. These isolated rhinos are not viable in the long term, due to their very small numbers and limited remaining forest habitat.

The Borneo Rhinoceros Sanctuary (BRS) is an initiative of the Borneo Rhinoceros Alliance. It involves the creation and maintenance of a fenced-off area within Tabin Widlife Reserve. The BRS will provide a natural environment which is known to be suitable for rhinos, where they will benefit from protection against poaching and hunting as well as monitoring of their well-being by qualified staff. It is hoped that once brought inside the BRS, the rhinos will mate and breed, thus boosting the dangerously low numbers of the species and ensuring its survival. With its aim of saving a seriously endangered species from extinction, the BRS program falls squarely within YSD’s key area “Conservation of the Environment and Protection of Ecosystems”.

The BRS initiative will not only benefit the Sumatran Rhinoceros. It is also likely to draw attention to the importance of protecting and preserving the wide variety of biological resources within Tabin Wildlife Reserve, including trees and plants typical of primary and secondary forest as well as a large number of animal species inhabiting the forest, among them – in addition to the Sumatran Rhinoceros – the Asian Elephant, tembadau, deer, orang utan and other primates, carnivores such as the honey bear and the rare cloud leopard, birds, reptiles and amphibians as well as different species of river fish.

YSD’s support for this initiative thus reflects its deep concern for the preservation of Malaysia’s natural riches and the need to protect and preserve the Sumatran Rhinoceros, whose numbers have dwindled in recent years mainly due to poaching and habitat loss as a consequence of illegal logging and agricultural activities. The initiative is ongoing for a period of three years. (2009 – 2012).

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