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The Sumatran Rhinoceros Dicerorhinus sumatrensis is on the edge of extinction. The decline of this species was initially attributed to poaching and habitat loss, but evidence presented here indicates that reproductive failure has also been a significant cause of loss, and continues to affect wild populations. Indonesia’s remaining populations of Sumatran Rhino are small and scattered, with limited access to breeding opportunities with unrelated mates. This leaves them subject to inbreeding and isolation-induced infertility, linked to fertility problems analyzed here. Sumatran Rhino females in captivity showed high rates (>70%) of reproductive pathology and/or problems with conception, which has significantly hindered the breeding program. Technological advances enabling examination immediately after capture revealed similarly high rates and types of reproductive problems in individuals from wild populations. The last seven Sumatran Rhino females captured were from areas with small declining populations, and six had reproductive problems. Going forward, capturing similarly compromised animals will take up valuable space and resources needed for fertile animals. The high risk of infertility and difficulty of treating underlying conditions, coupled with the decreasing number of remaining animals, means that the success of efforts to build a viable captive population will depend upon utilizing fertile animals and applying assisted reproductive techniques. Decades of exhaustive in situ surveys have not provided information relevant to population management or to ascertaining the fertility status of individual animals. Thus the first priority should be the capture of individuals as new founders from areas with the highest likelihood of containing fertile rhinos, indicated by recent camera trap photos of mothers with offspring. In Sumatra these areas include Way Kambas and parts of the Leuser ecosystem.

Vehicle efficiency relates to pollutants and cost savings in third world countries. In term of subcompact cars, the vehicle characteristics are governed by the engine and road load characteristics. Overall, it involves the rolling resistance and aerodynamics loading on the moving car on the road. Tests were conducted on a local subcompact car to measure engine speed, throttle position and air fuel ratio while Global Positioning Systems (GPS) recorded data of the vehicle speed and position. Also, dynamometer testing was done to reflect the vehicle characteristics. The results of on the road roll down test and cruising test were combined to get the road load characteristics of the vehicle. A comparison of the road loads obtained with actual engine dynamometer test was found to have about 5% error. The errors of the experiments shows the validation of the tests.

Nanocomposites of zinc-aluminium-anthranilate (ZAAN) have been synthesized at different concentrations of anthranilic acid by co-precipitation method. These materials have been examined in detail by powder X-ray powder diffraction (PXRD) which showed the expansion of the basal spacing from 0.89 to ca. 1.33 nm and the shifting of the 003 peak towards the lower 2q angle. This indicates that the anthranilate anion was successfully intercalated into the interlayer gallery. However, FTIR analysis showed nitrate anion was also co-intercalated in the interlayer. The resulting nanocomposites show Type IV adsorption-desorption isotherms indicated the mesoporous structure of the material. BET surface area was found to be slightly different compared to zinc-aluminium-nitrate-layered double hydroxide (ZANO) after the intercalation process took place. Both ZANO and ZAAN have similar surface morphology, namely a flaky-like structure, but they are of different sizes.

Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Environmental Studies, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Malaysia E-mail : anuar@fsas.upm.edu.my Manuscript received 8 October 2002, revised 22 March 2004, accepted 26 May 2004 Physically and chemically activated carbons from oil palm shell. which is an agro-industrial waste, were prepared using CO2, H3PO4, K3PO4and KOH. A horizontal Carbolite Tubular Electric Furnace at a constant temperature of 500" for 4 h was used for pyrolysing and activating the oil palm shells in inert atmosphere. The activated carbons were ground into 500-1000 µm sizes prior to the packing. Separation of a mixture of 3 heavy metal ions. that is, Pb2+, Zn2+ and Fe3+ metal ions were carried out successfully. Two commercial activated carbons, AC 4050 and AC 7080, were used for comparative study. Comparisons of adsorption capacity at different pH and column chromatography studies were carried out in this study.