From LAURENCE HARBIGE, KEB GHEBREMESKEL, MICHAEL CRAWFORD
With regard to Colin Tudge’s excellent article ‘Time to save rhinoceroses’
(28 September): the exponents of rhino captive breeding programmes fail
to acknowledge the present lack of scientific ‘know-how’ on how to manage
these animals properly in captivity. This is evidenced by failure to breed,
poor health and high mortality. Fatal haemolytic anaemia, dermatological
problems and low breeding success which seem to be associated with multiple
nutrient deficiencies, are common in the captive black rhinoceros. In addition,
there has not been any success in the breeding of the Sumatran rhinoceroses
in captivity; of 27 Sumatran rhinoceroses caught recently for captive breeding
33 per cent have died. Of course molecular genetic research programmes have
a place in rhinoceros conservation, but if these species suffer poor health,
do not breed, and have a low survival rate, then this type of research is
largely academic.
We do not yet understand the nutrient requirements of these species
nor have we been able to replicate the complex food chain of the natural
habitat. There is an ethical and moral obligation to establish the primary
requirements for health in the natural habitat so that both habitat and
species can be conserved. If considered appropriate, it would then be possible
to bring animals into the artificial, captive environment where the effect
of its artificiality would then be more readily understood.
Laurence Harbige, Keb Ghebremeskel, Michael Crawford IBCHN Laboratories,
Hackney Hospital, London
