It was only a matter of time — we knew it. Iman has died, and the grip of extinction tightens ever further around the Sumatran rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis). Iman, estimated to have been around 27 years old, was the last individual of this rare species present in Malaysia. At the end of 2017, the animal — which had been living in semi-captivity since 2014 at the Tabin Wildlife Reserve on the Malaysian island of Borneo — was diagnosed with a uterine tumour. After a few days, Iman had shown slow but encouraging signs of recovery, but two years on the disease prevailed.

Farewell, Iman

Iman died on 23 November. Her passing was announced in a moving post on its Facebook page by the Borneo rhino alliance, the organisation that manages the sanctuary where the rare mammal was kept. "Dear Iman, you are the fifth Sumatran rhino the world has lost in the last five years," the organisation wrote, "and the last rhino living in Malaysia. You were also the sweetest soul, who brought so much joy and hope to all of us. We are deeply saddened right now, but we are grateful that you are no longer suffering."

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• Puntung, one of the last three Sumatran rhinos in Malaysia, has died

Nothing more could have been done

Malaysian authorities also expressed their regret. "Iman was given the highest level of care and attention from the time of her capture in March 2014 until the moment she passed away," said Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Christina Liew in a statement. "No one could have done more." The vets caring for the animal, which had lost more than 40 kilograms over the previous two years, explained that it had not been possible to remove the tumour, as it had reached the bladder and surgery would have been too dangerous.

Only 80 rhinos remain

Iman passed away six months after Tam, who was the last male Sumatran rhino living in Malaysia. Conservationists had hoped to artificially inseminate Iman with Tam's semen, but those efforts were unsuccessful. It is estimated that fewer than 80 Sumatran rhinos currently survive in the wild, spread across the island of Sumatra and Indonesian Borneo. This ancient species — the closest living relative of the extinct woolly rhinoceros — has suffered a dramatic decline in recent decades due to habitat loss caused by deforestation and poaching.

Read also

• Tam, Malaysia's last male Sumatran rhino, has also died
• Najaq, the recently rediscovered female Sumatran rhino, has died

Fighting against extinction

Experts believe that the isolation of rhino populations, exacerbated by the fragmentation of their habitat, represents the main threat to the future of the species. This is because female Sumatran rhinos that do not become pregnant can develop tumours, cysts and fibroids of the uterus, permanently compromising their ability to reproduce — as happened to both Iman and Puntung. Malaysia, now without any rhinos of its own, has reiterated its commitment to working with Indonesia to try to prevent the extinction of these animals. "The memorandum of understanding with Indonesia, which covers cooperation on research, reproductive biology, breeding, and the exchange of knowledge and experience, is almost ready," said Minister Liew.

A plan to save the Sumatran rhino

To allow future generations to grow up on a planet still inhabited by these magnificent creatures, efforts to protect rhinos living in the wild must be intensified while, at the same time, captive breeding programmes must be pursued. In vitro fertilisation is also a decisive resource in attempting to increase their numbers.

Read also: Another giant is gone: the Sabah Sumatran rhino has gone extinct in the wild

In 2018, Sumatran rhino rescue was established — a collaboration between conservation NGOs with the aim of supporting the Indonesian government in protecting rhinos. The plan involves locating and capturing as many rhinos as possible so that they can be brought together and placed in a single breeding programme that uses cutting-edge veterinary and zootechnical care to maximise population growth.