Formerly widespread, now very scarce. T. Harrisson (1961b) has stated that there are `probably not more than thirty in the whole island'.
Eighteen years later, Harrisson (1949) wrote, `there are now almost certainly no rhinoceros left in Sarawak', although he was able to report observations in 1946 from the upper S. Padas, in Sabah, and in 1945 from S. Raya and from high ground in the upper S. Bahau in Kalimantan.
Bones, two upper molars. Locality: Sarawak, cave near Ban. Collected by: P.L. Sclater, 1895. In Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom. Catalogue number: M1986
Bones, two upper molars. Locality: Sarawak, cave near Ban. Collected by: P.L. Sclater, 1895. In Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom. Catalogue number: M1986
Bones, two upper molars. Locality: Sarawak, cave near Ban. Collected by: P.L. Sclater, 1895. In Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom. Catalogue number: M1986
in the southeast `the headman of the Bajaus at Sungei Manungul [i.e. Menunggul], Pamukang Bay, said there used to be some rhinos in that locality, but he had seen no traces for years' (Abbott, quoted in Lyon, 1911b). A little further north in east Kalimantan, at S. Merah, Mahakam, Raven (unpublished diary, entry dated 14th March, 1914) was `surprised to see fairly fresh rhinoceros tracks, as they are said to be rare hereabouts'.
There are recent reports of animals encountered or tracks seen in Sabah on G. Kinabalu (J.L. Harrison, personal communication, 1962).
Eighteen years later, Harrisson (1949) wrote, `there are now almost certainly no rhinoceros left in Sarawak', although he was able to report observations in 1946 from the upper S. Padas, in Sabah,
In Sarawak, Banks (1931a) found it `hard to give any exact localities but they occur in the mountainous region in the Lawas interior, various places in the far interior of the Baram and Rejang Rivers, occasionally straying as far down as the Ulus [i.e. upper reaches] of Mukah and Oya but is [sic] not found on the left bank of the Rejang or down into Saribas and Sarawak proper'. Some, sixty years earlier Beccari, who had spent most of his time in 1865 - 1867 in the southwestern parts of present Sarawak, `once heard that the carcase of a rhinoceros had been seen in the Sarawak, carried down by the current', but otherwise never saw `any portion of one got in Borneo' (Beccari, 1904: 311). Banks concluded, rather surprisingly in the light of his own evidence, that `there can at the moment be no fear of Rhinoceros becoming scarce for as many as 36 trophies were brought into Belaga in two years not so long ago and I have met men who have claimed to have shot over 30 in the course of their lifetime' (Banks, 193la:20). Eighteen years later, Harrisson (1949) wrote, `there are now almost certainly no rhinoceros left in Sarawak'
A little further southwest Abbott, in 1907, noted reports of rhinoceroses from about `Batu Dajeu' (? = Bajeuh), in the upper S. Simpang, from the lowlands about the base of G. Palung (= G. Panti), and the neighbourhood of G. Kedijo.
In the Kelabit uplands Harrisson later found (Harrisson, in Davis, 1958) that `the Sumatran rhinoceros, once common in the area - in the last century even breaking fences around padi fields - has not been reported anywhere in the area for twenty years. There are living Kelabits who have killed more than ten.'
There are specimens from S. Tingkayu, in the former East Coast Residency, Sabah (SNM, fide Davis, 1962).
Eighteen years later, Harrisson (1949) wrote, `there are now almost certainly no rhinoceros left in Sarawak', although he was able to report observations in 1946 from the upper S. Padas, in Sabah, and in 1945 from S. Raya and from high ground in the upper S. Bahau in Kalimantan.
There are recent reports of animals encountered or tracks seen in Sabah on G. Kinabalu (J.L. Harrison, personal communication, 1962) and towards the east coast, `at S. Bole on the Segama. There are also reliable records for the Dent Peninsula, Ulu S. Kalumpang and Ulu Kuamat' (P.F. Burgess, in litt., 22 Feb 1963).
Pigmy Rhinoceros
