Two species of rhinoceros—the Javan and the Sumatran—once inhabited Vietnam but the Sumatran rhinoceros apparently became extinct there early this century and by the late 1960s it was feared that the Javan rhinoceros probably no longer occurred there either. Then, in November 1988, a hunter shot an adult female rhinoceros about 130 km north-east of Saigon. He was arrested when he tried to sell the horn and hide. In early 1989 the authors were conducting wildlife surveys near where the killing took place and they took this opportunity to check the status of the species. They found evidence that perhaps 10–15 Javan rhinoceros still survive in Vietnam. As a result of this discovery the Vietnamese Government has set up a Rhinoceros Conservation Group.

Pacific Islanders, conservationists, and bat biologists are applauding the recent decision of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) to increase protection of flying foxes, or fruit bats, of the genera Acerodon and Pteropus from the adverse effects of international trade into US jurisdictions in the Pacific. This decision culminates efforts dating as far back as 1981 to control international trade in these species, which has decimated populations on many islands. It poses a challenge to US government authorities to institute wildlife trade controls in the Pacific and to Pacific Island governments, many of which are not yet CITES members, to develop effective measures to control exports of these and other species.

In an attempt to stem the decline of the black rhinoceros Diceros bicornis in Kenya, the Rhino Rescue Charitable Appeal Trust was formed in England in 1985. Within a year work on the first sanctuary, in the Lake Nakuru National Park, had begun. The sanctuary was opened in 1987, when 17 rhinos from Mr Courtland Parfet's private ranch at Solio joined the wo animals already in Nakuru. A further 11 females are due to be added to the park shortly. Rhino Rescue, of which the author is a patron and trustee, is also developing its own education programme, and is contributing to other rhino sanctuaries in Kenya.

As human pressure on tropical forests grows, conservation needs new approaches. An experiment in conserving tropical rain forests on private lands on the Belize River is under way in Belize. Over 70 landowners have signed pledges to abide by a management plan devised for the conservation of the black howler monkey Alouatta pigra. The author discusses what was involved in creating the Community Baboon Sanctuary and how this approach could be used in similar projects to benefit both wildlife and local people.

The Pantanal of South America is the world's largest wetland and has an abundant and diverse fauna. Although man's influence has caused many changes there are still some little disturbed areas, which offer opportunities for conservation. The authors discuss some of the threats to the region and recommend how these could be mitigated.