The last Sumatran rhinoceros in Malaysia has died, leaving the smallest species of rhino, which once roamed across Asia, surviving in small numbers mostly in Indonesia.

Key points: Malaysia's last male Sumatran rhino died in May this year

Malaysia's last male Sumatran rhino died in May this year Conservationists estimate that only about 30 to 80 Sumatran rhinos survive, mostly on the Indonesian island of Sumatra

Conservationists estimate that only about 30 to 80 Sumatran rhinos survive, mostly on the Indonesian island of Sumatra Malaysia has tried to breed the species in captivity through in vitro fertilisation, but without success

The 25-year-old female rhino, named Iman, who had been cared for in a wildlife reserve since her capture in 2014, died of cancer in the state of Sabah on the island of Borneo.

"Iman's death came rather sooner than we had expected, but we knew that she was starting to suffer significant pain," said Augustine Tuuga, director of the Sabah Wildlife Department.

The Sumatran rhino was declared extinct in the wild in Malaysia in 2015.

Malaysia's last male Sumatran rhino, Tam, died in May.

Tam (pictured) was the last male Malaysian Sumatran rhino. ( Facebook: WWF Malaysia/Engelbert Dausip )

When Tam died, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Malaysia paid tribute to the last male of its kind in the country on Facebook and warned about extinction if Iman died.

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"Our hearts are filled with sadness as we mourn not only the loss of wildlife, but the loss of a species," a WWF post said at the time.

"With Tam gone, we now only have Iman left, our last female rhino.

"If we are not careful, the Sumatran rhino will not be the only species that will go extinct under our watch."

The species has now almost disappeared from the wild, and conservationists estimate that only about 30 to 80 Sumatran rhinos survive, mostly on the Indonesian island of Sumatra and on the Indonesian side of Borneo.

Their isolation, caused by habitat loss and poaching, means they rarely breed and may become extinct in a matter of decades, according to conservation group International Rhino Foundation.

Since 2011, Malaysia has tried to breed the species in captivity through in vitro fertilisation, but without success.

A United Nations report released earlier this year warned that 1 million of the world's species are under threat of extinction.

Reuters