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

zoologist Zoology ( , ) is the scientific study of animals. Its studies include the structure, embryology, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct, and how they interact with their ecosystems. Zoology is one ...

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''), Javan rhino, Sunda rhinoceros or lesser one-horned rhinoceros is a critically endangered member of the genus ''Rhinoceros'', of the rhinoceros family Rhinocerotidae, and one of the five remainin ...

. Nico van Strien was born in

Etterbeek Etterbeek (; ) is one of the List of municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, 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 Cit ...

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

on 1 April 1946. He obtained a

Master of Science A Master of Science (; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree. In contrast to the Master of Arts degree, the Master of Science degree is typically granted for studies in sciences, engineering and medici ...

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

Agricultural science Agricultural science (or agriscience for short) is a broad multidisciplinary field of biology that encompasses the parts of exact, natural, economic and social sciences that are used in the practice and understanding of agriculture. Professio ...

from

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

. Dr. van Strien was the South-East Asian programme officer for the International Rhino Foundation (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 The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. Founded in 1948, IUCN has become the global authority on the status ...

Tapir Specialist Group. He also provided critical technical advice to the UNDP-Global Environment Facility, the

Asian Rhino Specialist Group, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service. 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. 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. The town is famous for being the final residence of Wilhelm II. History In a document from 885 to 896 the settlement is called ...

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

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