The last confirmed sighting of the Northern Sumatran rhinoceros occurred in 1960, when seven individuals were reported in captivity in various zoos and circuses.

[4] In 1986, there was an unconfirmed sighting in Taman Negara National Park, Peninsular Malaysia, though the species is considered extinct in this region.

[6] While it has been officially declared as extinct on multiple occasions in early 20th century, it has been reported that small populations might still exist in the wild, such as in Burma and the Malaysian Peninsula, though it is highly doubtful.

The name lasiotis is derived from the Greek for "hairy-ears", as the northern Sumatran rhinoceros has remarkable longer fur on the ears.

[9] The northern Sumatran rhinoceros lived in tropical rainforests, swamps, cloud forests, jungles and grasslands.

Unconfirmed reports suggest a small population of northern Sumatran rhinoceros may still survive in Myanmar, but the political situation in the country has prevented verification.