KOTA KINABALU – Kertam’s death leaves behind only one female Sumatran rhino, pushing the critically-endangered species closer to extinction.

Malaysia’s last surviving male Sumatran rhino died of cardiopulmonary failure, according to an autopsy report.

30 year old Kertam’s death leaves behind only one female Sumatran rhino, pushing the critically-endangered species closer to extinction.

Kertam also known as Tam, had been sick since April was under medications, among them were anti-inflammatories, intravenous infusion of vitamins and minerals, stomach acid reduction medications and tranquilisers.

“The most obvious visible problem was his right kidney, which contained numerous abscesses and stones. The abscesses were likely caused by a urinary tract infection, which was treated with intravenous antibiotics,” Sabah Deputy Minister Datuk Christina Liew said in a statement.

Tam, had lived in a nature reserve on Borneo island and had showed a decline in appetite and alertness.

Conservationists are hoping to use in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) techniques to create offspring from Malaysia’s last female Sumatran rhino, Iman, and an Indonesian male.

Iman’s is incapable of becoming pregnant due to problems with her uterus but was still able to produce eggs.

The Sumatran rhino once found throughout Malaysia and as far as eastern India is nearing extinction with only fewer than 80 left according to the World Wildlife Fund.