A genetic study of Sumatran rhinoceroses is providing what scientists call “good news” for the critically endangered animal. Experts say fewer than 100 of them remain in existence. Researchers report that the two wild rhino populations on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra showed unexpectedly good genetic health in a new study. The study also showed surprisingly low levels of inbreeding. Inbreeding is the result of producing young from closely related parents. The Sumatran rhinoceros is known for its two small horns and a thin coat of reddish-brown hair. It is the closest living relative to the wooly rhinoceros of the last Ice Age. Nicolas Dussex helped lead the study that was published in Nature Communications. With such small population sizes, we were expecting much higher inbreeding, he said. Dussex added that the findings suggest there may still be time to save the genetic diversity of the animal. Researchers studied the genomes of seven rhinos from Borneo, eight from Sumatra and six from the former Malay Peninsula population. The Sumatran rhinoceros is the smallest of the world's five rhinoceros species, weighing around 700 to 800 kilograms. The animal lives in rainforest areas. It also lives alone, except when mating and raising young. The animals once lived across a wide area of Southeast Asia, from the Himalayas to Borneo and Sumatra. Illegal hunting, or poaching, and environmental destruction have hurt its population. The Sumatran rhinoceros population fell by about 70 percent over the past two decades.
Title: Study: Good News About Sumatran Rhinos
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5056/C.wav' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='Study: Good News About Sumatran Rhinos' data-article-id='5621'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='12375'>A genetic study of Sumatran rhinoceroses is providing what scientists call “good news” for the critically endangered animal. </span> <span data-start-time='12375' data-end-time='18417'>Experts say fewer than 100 of them remain in existence.</span> <span data-start-time='18417' data-end-time='32854'>Researchers report that the two wild rhino populations on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra showed unexpectedly good genetic health in a new study. </span> <span data-start-time='32854' data-end-time='38667'>The study also showed surprisingly low levels of inbreeding.</span> <span data-start-time='38667' data-end-time='45625'>Inbreeding is the result of producing young from closely related parents.</span> <span data-start-time='45625' data-end-time='55063'>The Sumatran rhinoceros is known for its two small horns and a thin coat of reddish-brown hair.</span> <span data-start-time='55063' data-end-time='62729'>It is the closest living relative to the wooly rhinoceros of the last Ice Age.</span> <span data-start-time='62729' data-end-time='69750'>Nicolas Dussex helped lead the study that was published in Nature Communications.</span> <span data-start-time='69750' data-end-time='77583'>With such small population sizes, we were expecting much higher inbreeding, he said.</span> <span data-start-time='77583' data-end-time='87271'>Dussex added that the findings suggest there may still be time to save the genetic diversity of the animal.</span> <span data-start-time='87271' data-end-time='99979'>Researchers studied the genomes of seven rhinos from Borneo, eight from Sumatra and six from the former Malay Peninsula population.</span> <span data-start-time='99979' data-end-time='111688'>The Sumatran rhinoceros is the smallest of the world's five rhinoceros species, weighing around 700 to 800 kilograms. </span> <span data-start-time='111688' data-end-time='115688'>The animal lives in rainforest areas. </span> <span data-start-time='115688' data-end-time='121646'>It also lives alone, except when mating and raising young. </span> <span data-start-time='121646' data-end-time='131729'>The animals once lived across a wide area of Southeast Asia, from the Himalayas to Borneo and Sumatra.</span> <span data-start-time='131729' data-end-time='139854'>Illegal hunting, or poaching, and environmental destruction have hurt its population. </span> <span data-start-time='139854' data-end-time='148667'>The Sumatran rhinoceros population fell by about 70 percent over the past two decades.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5056/C.jpeg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=17365 data-hint-location='99979' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5056/what_is_a_species.wav'>What is a species?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='A group of related animals or plants'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5056/a_group_of_related_animals_or_plants.wav'><span>A group of related animals or plants</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5056/a_completely_unique_animal.wav'><span>A completely unique animal</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5056/a_featured_dish_at_a_restaurant.wav'><span>A featured dish at a restaurant</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5056/an_extinct_animal.wav'><span>An extinct animal</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=17366 data-hint-location='111688' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5056/where_does_the_sumatran_rhinoceros_live.wav'>Where does the Sumatran rhinoceros live?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='Rainforests'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5056/rainforests.wav'><span>Rainforests</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5056/swamps.wav'><span>Swamps</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5056/deserts.wav'><span>Deserts</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5056/alpine_forests.wav'><span>Alpine forests</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=17367 data-hint-location='55063' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5056/it_is_the_closest_living_relative_to_the_wooly_rhinoceros_of_the_last__blank_.wav'>It is the closest living relative to the wooly rhinoceros of the last <span class='blank'>Ice Age</span>.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='Ice Age'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5056/ice_age.wav'><span>Ice Age</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5056/full_moon.wav'><span>full moon</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5056/star_wars.wav'><span>Star Wars</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5056/decade.wav'><span>decade</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button 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