Could the death of this rare rhino in Kalimantan have been prevented?

The trapping of Najaq in mid-March was hailed as a landmark conservation success but the animal died about a month later. Photos: AFP/WWF

The death of an endangered Sumatran rhinoceros in Kalimantan a week ago sent the wildlife conservation community into deep mourning and raised questions about whether the animal would have had a better chance at survival without any human interference.

The first glimpse of the female rhino, affectionately known as Najaq, emerged last October when a hidden camera set by a team of wildlife experts, government officials and NGO workers caught her feeding on bushes in the Kelian protected forest in West Kutai district, East Kalimantan.