Nicolaas Jan van Strien (1 April 1946 – 7 February 2008), or just Nico van Strien, was a

zoologist Zoology ()The pronunciation of zoology as is usually regarded as nonstandard, though it is not uncommon. is the branch of biology that studies the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and d ...

and conservationist of Dutch ancestry. He became notable for his conservation projects on the

Sumatran Rhinoceros The Sumatran rhinoceros (''Dicerorhinus sumatrensis''), also known as the Sumatran rhino, hairy rhinoceros or Asian two-horned rhinoceros, is a rare member of the family Rhinocerotidae and one of five extant species of rhinoceros. It is the o ...

and the

Javan Rhinoceros The Javan rhinoceros (''Rhinoceros sondaicus''), also known as the Javan rhino, Sunda rhinoceros or lesser one-horned rhinoceros, is a very rare member of the family Rhinocerotidae and one of five extant rhinoceroses. It belongs to the same ge ...

. Nico van Strien was born in

Etterbeek Etterbeek (French: ; Dutch: ) is one of the 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium. Located in the eastern part of the region, it is bordered by the municipalities of Auderghem, the City of Brussels, Ixelles, Schaerbeek, Wolu ...

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...

on 1 April 1946. He obtained a

Master of Science A Master of Science ( la, Magisterii Scientiae; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree in the field of science awarded by universities in many countries or a person holding such a degree. In contrast t ...

degree at the Free University of Amsterdam in 1971. In 1985 he received a

Ph.D. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is ...

degree in Agricultural science from

Wageningen University Wageningen University & Research (also known as Wageningen UR; abbreviation: WUR) is a public university in Wageningen, Netherlands, specializing in life sciences with a focus on agriculture, technical and engineering subjects. It is a globally ...

. Dr. van Strien was the South-East Asian programme officer for the

International Rhino Foundation The International Rhino Foundation (IRF) is a Texas-based charity focused on the conservation of the five species of rhinoceros: the White Rhinoceros and Black Rhinoceros in Africa, and the Indian Rhinoceros, Javan Rhinoceros and Sumatran Rhinoc ...

(IRF) and the co-chairman of the IUCN / SSC Asian Rhino Specialist Group from 1998 to 2008. He took part in Rhinoceros conservation projects in India, Sumatra and Java for 30 years. His field research on the Sumatran Rhinoceros in Gunung Leuser National Park was important for conservation measurements on this species. He further co-ordinated anti-poaching activities in the key Asian rhinoceros reserves, and was involved in captive breeding programs. Nico van Strien was also a key member at the IUCN Tapir Specialist Group. He also provided critical technical advice to the UNDP-Global Environment Facility, the IUCN Asian Rhino Specialist Group, and the

US Fish and Wildlife Service The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS or FWS) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats. The mission of the agency is "working with othe ...

. His efforts were instrumental in helping people to work together for rhino conservation throughout Southeast Asia, including convening experts working on greater one-horned rhinos in India and Nepal. Nico van Strien was a long-term member of many other organizations, chairman of the Van Tienhoven Foundation for International Nature Protection, serving on the Board of the Netherlands Committee for International Nature Conservation and the Golden Ark Foundation (now Future for Nature), the , and a life member of the Malawi Wildlife Society. Since 1980 Nico had also been collecting records towards a historical ''Mammal Atlas of South East Asia'', which unfortunately never was fully completed. Furthermore, he was co-founder of the

Rhino Resource Center A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species o ...

. In spring 2007 cancer was diagnosed of which he died in his home in

Doorn Doorn is a town in the municipality of Utrechtse Heuvelrug in the central Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht. History In a document from 885 to 896, the settlement is called "Thorhem", dwelling of Thor, the God of Thunder. Vikings quart ...

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

on 7 February 2008.

Key Sumatran Rhino projects (selected)

*Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary *RPU training program Rhino Protection Units)
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Selected works

*A guide to the tracks of the Mammals of western Indonesia, 1983 *Abbreviated checklist of the Mammals of the Australasian archipelago, 1986 *The Sumatran Rhinoceros in the Gunung Leuser National Park Its Distribution, Ecology and Conservation, 1986 *

References

1946 births 2008 deaths 20th-century Dutch zoologists Dutch conservationists Scientists from Brussels Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam alumni Wageningen University and Research alumni {{zoologist-stub