We all know the black rhino is facing possible - some say probable - extinction. But in other parts of the world another breed of rhino is also looking at a bleak future - unless a 'captive romance' can save them.

Popular South African cartoon Adam & Eve addressed the rhino poaching scourge in the following strip recently. 

 

 

Much is being done to try protect our rhinos (to date with seeming little effect as we hear of rhino killings every day, leading to ever dwindling numbers).

Further afield, a rhino captured on Christmas day (named Puntang)  is settling in at the Borneo Rhino sanctuary in Malaysia and it is hoped that she may help save the Sumatran Rhino - of which there are only 200 left worldwide.

According to an article on the Times Live website, 

"Veterinarians want to introduce Puntung to Tam, a 20-year-old male Sumatran rhinoceros in the enclosure next door, in the hopes that they will breed — although this cannot take place for a number of months yet, until Puntung is deemed ready."

Captive breeding is now regarded as the only way to boost the population of the two-horned Sumatran rhino - the world’s smallest rhinoceros.  It is under extreme threat of extinction due to deforestation and illegal hunting - and most of those that remain are too old to breed.

Puntang appears to be a healthy 10 - 12 year old and as long as she is fertile she could breed - and help start a new generation. But for now all the scientists working with her can do is wait and see as the trauma of the capture could affect her cycle so they will have to be patient and wait and see...

  The day could well come when captive breeding becomes the only way our own black rhino can survive - but if we can't keep them alive then no matter how many babies are bred we're still looking at seeing the Madam and Eve cartoon come true.