ORDER PERISSODACTYLA: ODD-TOED UNGULATES 413 



A. J. Jobaert writes (in litt., November 10, 1936) : "Eleven years 

 ago, competent naturalists estimated that there could not remain 

 more than 40-60 Rhinoceroses in the Belgian Congo. In the last 

 15 years I do not believe that more than 20 of these animals have 

 been killed by Europeans, in each case under special permit. But 

 the increase in the value of the horns led to an intensive demand on 

 the part of the traders, and apparently to an incessant hunting on 

 the part of the natives. The animal is officially protected, but the 

 possession, transport, sale, and even export of skins are not for- 

 bidden. The animal is now respected only by the conscientious 

 European hunter, and is on the verge of extinction in the Belgian 

 Congo. The only means of saving it, that I can see, is the establish- 

 ment of its range as a game reserve, with adequate supervision." 



Uganda. "The existence of the square-lipped rhinoceros in the 

 Nile Province of the Uganda Protectorate is now proved" (Johnston, 

 1902, p. 374). This statement, however, lacks substantiation, since 

 there is no authentic record from east of the Nile, where the Nile 

 Province of that period was located. 



The 14 specimens secured by the Smithsonian African Expedition 

 in 1910 came from the vicinity of Rhino Camp, on the west bank of 

 the Nile, in the southern portion of the Lado Enclave of that time. 

 This region is now included in Uganda. 



In Uganda the range "does not extend more than probably forty 

 miles along the left or west bank of the Nile above Nimule, and, 

 say, fifteen miles inland. This range is remote from any European 

 settled area, and is very sparsely inhabited by primitive natives, 

 who possess very few firearms. ... I believe that poaching is now 

 almost non-existent." (Coryndon, 1921, p. 28.) 



In his annual report for 1925, the Game Warden of Uganda writes: 



Every endeavour has been made to put a stop to the illegal destruction of 

 this animal by the natives and the result is distinctly gratifying. 



During the year under review two white rhinoceros fell into a deep salt-lick 

 in West Madia and were drowned. Also, a certain number of these animals 

 probably fall victims to game-pits. ... 



The result of the first census leads to the belief that there are possibly 

 no more than 150 of these grand animals left in Uganda at the present time. 



The persecution of the white rhinoceros is as good an instance as any of 

 the deplorable results which are likely to occur from killing game for profit, 

 for I understand that prior to the demand for rhinoceros horn this species 

 was scarcely molested. 



Three years later a marked diminution was noticed. The total 

 number in Uganda was then estimated at 130. (Ann. Rept. Uganda 

 Game Dept., 1928.) 



"Next to the gorilla this ranks as Uganda's most interesting mam- 

 mal. Its habitat is restricted to the West Nile district where it is 

 believed about 150 examples still remain. 



