The Malaysian Insight

SABAH will restart negotiations for a Sumatran Rhinoceros breeding programme with Indonesia, with talks between officials from both sides, likely to start next week.

Deputy Chief Minister Christina Liew said she and Sabah Wildlife Department director Augustine Tuuga will meet with officials from Indonesia consul general office on June 11.

“They had asked for the first born to go to Indonesia, so we will ask them to impregnate more than one rhinoceros,” she told reporters at the state government Hari Raya celebrations in Kota Kinabalu, today.

Sabah is looking to Iman, the sole female and the only surviving Sumatran rhino in Lahad Datu to be mated with an Indonesian male.

The discussions will follow-up with trips to Jakarta and Acheh, where according to Liew, talks with the Indonesian wildlife department will be held to start the breeding programme.

She noted 13 memoranda had been drawn up to start the breeding programme, but the Indonesian government had not signed any of them.

Sabah is in race against time to ensure the survival of Sumatran rhinos, after the death of its last male, Tam, on May 27, due to multiple organ failure and old age.

Meanwhile, Tam’s remains will be preserved and placed at the state museum, said Liew.

She said she had given out the instructions to the wildlife department and the work was in progress.

“I will also meet with the museum director to have Tam preserved there, which will be completed in the next few months,” she said. – June 9, 2019.