Rhino Protection Units in Indonesia Celebrate their 23rd Anniversary
by Sectionov, IRF Indonesia Coordinator
Twenty-three years ago today, Rhino Protection Units (RPUs) began protecting Indonesia’s two most critically endangered species – Sumatran and Javan rhinos.
Funded by the International Rhino Foundation, RPUs are part of a long running partnership with Yayasan Badak Indonesia (YABI). Due to the incredible success of having RPUs in the national parks, this program has the full support of Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry and Environment Republic of Indonesia. Sumatran and Javan rhino are “umbrella” species: protecting rhinos means that other animals sharing their habitat also benefit.
RPUs are stationed in Bukit Barisan Selatan, Way Kambas, and Ujung Kulon National Parks. The units act as extensions of law enforcement and assist with criminal investigations of wildlife crimes while surveying and monitoring rhino populations and other wildlife, such as tigers, elephants, tapir and sunbears.
Catching and prosecuting poachers is a difficult and dangerous business, but these brave men put their hearts and souls into the work, even with the high risk. RPUs work closely with local communities to raise awareness and also, sometimes, to gather information about potential poaching threats.
For 23 years, RPUs have hiked hundreds of miles annually, patrolling dense jungle habitat to prevent rhino poaching.. The cornerstone of our work to conserve rhinos in Indonesia, RPUs expertly find signs of illegal poaching and dismantle snares and traps that threaten rhinos and other wildlife species. It’s all in a day’s work.
Congratulations to these brave conservation heroes!
6 thoughts on “Rhino Protection Units in Indonesia Celebrate their 23rd Anniversary”
Congratulations for the great work!
You never mention Gunung Leuser National Park (Sumatra)
Are RPUs deployed there as well?
Since young I always read this park had the greatest potential for Sumatran rhino protection.
How is the situation now?
Thanks for your reply.
Hello Herve,
We don’t currently work in Leuser, however several of our partner organizations do.
Thanks for your reply.
Could you please name them and do they support a breeding programme like you at Way Kambas?
The situation is so dire I fear captive breeding programmes are the last option left to save the species.
Terri Roth did such a great job ! Is she still involved?
Right now, we have the only breeding program for Sumatran Rhinos. Terri Roth is on our Board of Directors and still heavily involved with our work.
Amazing, and BRAVE work. I have to say I didn’t even know there were Rhino’s in Indonesia. My partner has just told me more about these species ? it’s such valuable work these individuals are doing, especially as you said being an umbrella species. How many of these Rhino’s are estimated to be in the wild currently?
Hi Juliet, it is estimates that there are 67 javan rhinos and fewer than 80 left of Sumatran rhinos.