Two New Calves Spotted Increasing Javan Rhino Population to 75

Indonesia’s Ministry of Environment and Forestry has announced that the world’s only remaining population of Javan rhinos has increased to 75 individuals in Ujung Kulon National Park (UKNP).

In April and June 2021, two Javan rhino calves were spotted on camera by the park’s Javan Rhino Monitoring Team. This is the second set of births in 2021 and offsets natural deaths in the population.

Cameras are positioned throughout UKNP capture rhino movements and assist park officials in tracking new births for population counting.The International Rhino Foundation (IRF) through its on-the-ground partner, Yayasan Badak Indonesia, provides support for the program and recently donated one hundred new cameras to replace damaged or missing cameras.

Ten years ago, there were fewer than 50 Javan rhinos in UKNP, but with the Park’s conservation efforts, the rhino population has been gradually increasing with at least one new calf every year since 2012.

Javan rhinos, one of five rhino species worldwide, are found only in Indonesia’s UKNP where the population appears to have stabilized, largely because they are guarded by Rhino Protection Units (RPUs). There has been no poaching reported in UKNP in more than 20 years. 

 “The International Rhino Foundation welcomes and celebrates these important new youngsters,” said Nina Fascione, IRF’s executive director. “New births and the increasing population of this critically endangered species is exciting news and the result of the commitment of the Government of Indonesia and Park officials to the protection of the Javan rhino and its habitat.”

More information on Javan rhinos is available at https://rhinos.org/about-rhinos/rhino-species/javan-rhino/.

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