This species is characterized by a single horn and was once found throughout northeastern India and Southeast Asia.
According to TTXVN, on September 13, the Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry announced the birth of a baby Javan rhinoceros—one of the most critically endangered species in the world—marking a positive development in the conservation efforts for this rare animal.
A video captured a few months ago from a camera at Ujung Kulon National Park, a reserve located at the western tip of Java Island, showed the baby rhinoceros named Iris walking alongside its mother.
Javan rhinoceros at Ujung Kulon National Park (Banten Province, Indonesia). (Photo: AFP/TTXVN).
The baby rhinoceros Iris is also the first offspring of its mother and is estimated to be about 3-5 months old. This brings hope for the conservation and enhancement of the Javan rhinoceros population in the future.
Satyawan Pudyatmoko, a senior official from the Indonesian Ministry of Environment, expressed joy in a statement, calling this discovery “good news” and evidence that Javan rhinoceroses are still capable of normal reproduction in their natural habitat.
Last year, Indonesia also discovered a female Javan rhinoceros, believed to have been born in February 2023.
Javan rhinoceros. (Source: AFP)
The Javan rhinoceros, scientifically known as Rhinoceros sondaicus, is identifiable by its single horn and has a shorter body length compared to the Indian rhinoceros, measuring about 3.1-3.2 meters.
This species was once found throughout northeastern India and Southeast Asia. Currently, they are among the five most endangered rhinoceros species, primarily due to poaching.
According to the International Rhino Foundation, there are only about 80 Javan rhinoceroses left in the world, all of which are in Indonesia.
The first studies on this rhinoceros species appeared in 1787 when two animals were shot in Java. The German naturalist Petrus Camper (who died in 1789) recognized them as a distinct species.
The Javan rhinoceros is a solitary animal, except during mating and when a mother is with her young. They enjoy wallowing in mud to keep their bodies cool and to fend off diseases and parasites.
Females become proficient at breeding by the age of three, while males reach maturity by the age of six. Their gestation period is estimated to be around 16-19 months. After five years, they can mate again to give birth to the next offspring.
On June 12, the Indonesian National Police reported that about 26 rare Javan rhinoceroses had been killed since 2018. This endemic rhinoceros species from Java is under severe threat.
A court in Banten sentenced the leader of one of the poaching groups to 12 years in prison after he was convicted of killing at least six Javan rhinoceroses in Ujung Kulon National Park between 2019 and 2023.
Ardi Andono, head of Ujung Kulon National Park, stated that security would be strengthened in the park.
The park will establish a comprehensive protection system for the 35,000-hectare peninsula. Staff are conducting patrols 24 hours a day, both on land and at sea.
The number of patrol teams has increased from four to seven, equipped with thermal drones and cameras to monitor all intrusion activities.
