Javan rhinoceros

Why the Javan Rhino is a Critical Species in Peril

Imagine a creature so rare that it’s almost like searching for a mythical beast—such is the case with the Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus). This critically endangered species, native to South Asia and Africa, has been reduced to just one known wild population of around 74 individuals in Ujung Kulon National Park, Indonesia. How did we let it come to this?

The Javan Rhino: A Tiny Giant

The Javan rhino is one of the smallest rhinoceros species, with adults reaching 3-3.2 meters in length and weighing up to 2300 kg. Is it any wonder why this creature has become so rare? Its decline can be traced back to poaching for its horns, habitat loss due to human population growth, and the lack of a successful captive breeding program.

Ancient Origins

The genus name Rhinoceros is derived from the ancient Greek words for ‘nose’ and ‘horn’, hinting at their distinctive features. The species sondaicus comes from the biogeographical region that comprises the islands of Sumatra, Java, Borneo, and surrounding smaller islands. How did this once widespread creature end up in such a precarious position?

The Javan Rhino: A Species on the Brink

Even the most optimistic estimate suggests fewer than 100 Javan rhinos remain in the wild. Is it too late to save this species from extinction? The Javan rhinoceros is known to survive in only one place, the Ujung Kulon National Park on the western tip of Java. Historically, their range extended across South Asia and Southeast Asia, but human encroachment and poaching have drastically reduced it.

Natural Habitat

The Javan rhino primarily inhabits dense, lowland rain forests, grasslands, and reed beds with abundant rivers, large floodplains, or wet areas with many mud wallows. How do these unique habitats contribute to their survival? Even the most optimistic estimate suggests fewer than 100 Javan rhinos remain in the wild.

Conservation Efforts

The Ujung Kulon peninsula in Java was devastated by the Krakatoa eruption but recolonized by Javan rhinos, leading to their protection as a legally protected species since 1931. A census in 1967 recorded only 25 animals, which doubled to about 50 by 1980 and has remained steady.

Efforts to monitor rhino movements and population size have included installing video cameras. The Asian Rhino Project studied the arenga palm’s impact on food sources for the rhinos and developed a method for estimating digestibility. Plans to transfer Javan rhinos to the Cikepuh Wildlife Sanctuary were announced in 2017, but had yet to materialize by 2018.

Challenges Ahead

The population was severely endangered by the Anak Krakatau volcano tsunami in December 2018. Recently arrested poachers confessed to killing a total of 26 Javan rhinos, potentially cutting the population by one-third. In 1988, a hunter’s shot revealed that the Vietnamese subspecies’ extinction was challenged. In 1989, scientists found fresh tracks along the Dong Nai River, and the region became part of Cat Tien National Park in 1992.

The population declined to as few as three rhinos by the early 2000s. Genetic analysis showed only one individual Javan rhinoceros remained in the park until its extinction in 2011. Is there any hope left for this species?

The Javan rhino is a species that has captivated the imagination for centuries, yet it faces an uncertain future. As we continue to grapple with the challenges of conservation and habitat preservation, one thing remains clear: every effort counts in the fight to save this unique creature from extinction.