The Last Rhinos!

Bornean rhinoceros are a subspecies of Sumatran rhino which is a critically endangered and less than one hundred are alive today. The Bornean rhinos lived in the forests of Sabah, Malaysia, which are rapidly disappearing. Sadly, only three of the Bornean rhino subspecies are alive today, and they all live at a Borneo rhino Sanctuary.

The newest female, Iman is her name, and she was brought to the sanctuary a little over a year ago after she fell into a pit trap. She has been referred to as the species 'Newest Hope for Survival.'

Borneo rhino from the article The Last 3 Bornean Rhinos Are in a Race Against Extinction by John R. Platt 

The Bornean rhino's rapid population decline is mostly due to illegal poaching. Their horns are recorded to sell for US$30,000 per kilogram. They have been over hunted for centuries, and with an ever growing human population, their populations began to decline far more rapidly than their reproductive rates.

Iman was thought to be pregnant on arrival to the sanctuary. As it turned out, her uterus was filled with  tumors that will prevent her from ever conceiving naturally. The other two rhinos at the sanctuary are male Tam and female Puntung. Unfortunately, Puntung is incapable of getting pregnant naturally due to reproductive tract pathology that is very severe, and is probably due to the lack of breeding opportunities in the wild.

The Malaysian government has invested nearly $30,000 in reproductive research and infertility and artificial insemination treatments for the rhinos. While neither female can conceive naturally, it is theorized that their immature egg cells could be combined in a lab with Tam's sperm creating embryos that can then be planted into one of the females' uterus. These efforts are expensive and sometimes a long shot.

Locals in this region often use rhino horns and dried rhino meat medicinally and as talismans for protection. The over hunting has been spurred by the desire for rhino horns and their medicinal properties. Combine that with the legal and illegal logging that is taking place in the Malaysian forests, and the rhinos are fighting a losing battle.

It is possible that there are more Bornean rhinos on the Borneo island as it is split into three countries. The odds are slim for the survival of this subspecies, because the two remaining females are not actively breeding, and the funds needed to pursue the research are not completely being provided. The money that has been invested is just a fraction of the estimated requirement.

Human impact on animals for profit as well as the destruction of their habitats are both major contributors to the Bornean rhino demise and many other species of animal all over the world. Add climate change and pollution to that equation and the result is going to be devastating.