Malaysia’s last male Sumatran rhino has died, leaving behind just one female of the same rare species in captivity in the country.
The Borneo Rhino Alliance (BORA) confirmed the animal’s death in a statement on Facebook on Monday, saying: “It is with heavy hearts that we share the tragic news that Tam, Malaysia’s last male Sumatran rhino, has passed away.” Tam had been suffering from organ failure before his death, BORA said, as reported by CNN.
Sumatran rhinos are the world’s smallest rhinoceros species, standing at around 4 feet 3 inches high, when fully grown. They are the only Asian rhinos with two horns, and are covered in hair.
The animals are found in Indonesia, Malaysia’s Sabah state (part of the island of Borneo) and peninsular Malaysia; some are also thought to live in southern Thailand, according to the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF).
It is unclear precisely how many Sumatran rhinos remain, but experts at the International Rhino Foundation believe there are fewer than 80 still in the wild.
