One-horned Rhinoceros or Javanese Rhinos (Rhinoceros sondaicus) is one of Rhinocerotidae family and one of five existing rhinos. This rhinos is adding to as genus with Indian rhinos and has skin which similar with steel. It has 3,1-3,2 meters length and 1,4-1,7 meters height. This rhinos is smaller than Indian rhinos and almost similar with black rhinos on its height. The horned is usually less than 20 centimeters and also smaller than another rhinos.
This rhinos ever be the only one who the most spread in Asia. Even though called as ‘Javanese Rhinos’, this animal not only live in Java but also in all the whole Indonesia’s land, South East Asia, India, and China. Have you interest enough to know it? Scroll down and let’s get closer with Javanese Rhinos.
Javanese rhinos can live for 30-45 years in wild nature. The rhino’s life is in lowland rainforest, wet grasslands, and large floodplain areas. They are usually calm, except when they are on knowing and growing their child. The adult rhinos doesn’t has predator as enemy. They are usually avoiding people, but will attack when they are feel threat. The scientist and nature guardian is rare to observing rhinos directly because the animal extinct and their exist will disturbing the species. The scientist is using camera and poop sample to measures the rhinos healthy and behavior. Javanese rhinos are less learning than other species.
This species is very critical now with just a little population which find in wild nature and no one in zoo. This rhinos is may be as the rarest mammal in the world. Around 40-50 population is live in National Park of Ujung Kulon in Indonesia now. The population who live naturally wild is in National Park Cat Tien, Vietnam with population remaining around 8 in 2007.
The drop of rhinos is cause horned hunting activities which really precious in China. The horned priced $30.000 per kilogram on black market. Not only black market, but the endangered is also cause by losing habitat after war like Vietnam War in South East Asia. Even there are two areas which protecting, but it still makes Javanese rhinos is on risk to be hunted. Sensitive to disease and shrinking genetic diversity makes the rhino’s problem become worst. Nect step will make you interesting, so let’s get closer with Javanese Rhinos.
How’s The Effort to Gain Them?
- Relocation
Indonesian WWF is trying to developing over Javanese rhinos because if the disease attack and natural disasters like earthquake, tsunami, and Krakatau volcano is happen, the population of the rhinos is automatically extinct. The area which claimed safe and near is National Park of Halimun in Salak Mountain which ever being rhinos habitat.
The most surface of Java land on west called Ujung Kulon which on Banten Province. The location is in Pandeglang which between two districts, Sumur and Cimanggu. This location is also between some beaches like Anyer Beach, Carita Beach, and Umang Beach. This area is become central of Javanese rhino conservation in Indonesia. Indonesian government open 5.100 hectares of forest which contain river and mud puddle in national park which basically since 1992, that forest has been as world heritage site by UNESCO. To protecting the rhinos from the hunters who entering national park area, the government already built some electrics fence that surround the sanctuary. The manager also planning to planting plant which as naturally rhino’s food. All efforts are doing to maximize the population of Javanese rhinos. They believe with closed area, the rhinos will be calmer.
- Optimalizing CCTV
The manager of National Park Ujung Kulon has putting up 100 cameras during 2017. But in February 2018, 10 rhinos are not capturing by camera. “They are maybe change their lane so they are in outside of our monitor”, said Mamat Rahmat, the head of National Park of Ujung Kulon Office when report monitoring result of Javanese rhinos in Pandeglang, Banten, February 26, 2018. Even though not captured by camera which 50% functioned, Mamat isn’t find indicating of rhino’s death. Along 2017, Javanese rhinos are noted as 67 tails rhinos. The detail is, 37 are male and 30 are female. From that count, 14 are teen.
“We are still finds the recorders of baby rhino videos and the number is still much. It shows that the Javanese rhinos in National Park Ujung Kulon are still naturally good breeding”, said Mamat. The head of National Park Ujung Kulon also explaining the name of 10 baby rhinos. They are Kasih, Wira, Ratu, Satria, Srikandi, Sari, Tiara, Rimbani, Melati, and Ratih.
- Campaigning
The Official of National Park Ujung Kulon is not only conserving the rhinos, but also informing and campaign the sustainability of Javanese rhinos. They held an event titled ‘Di Ujung Cula Badak Jawa’ or in the end of Javanese rhino’s horned on 2017. They campaigned to animal lovers and also to society by the journalist, how important to unite together for saving rhino’s population and also how the life of the rhinos and the breeding. By this event, the Official of National Park Ujung Kulon hopes that everyone can supports them to conserve Javanese rhinos which only exist in Ujung Kulon. This theme was picturing how critically conservation effort toward Javanese rhinos. But they are optimist that every effort gives a lucky one.
The Official of National Park Ujung Kulon also explaining what their ploblem which has to face when the team tried to conserve the rhinos. Their purpose is to increase the number of rhinos population, but in opposite side the spatial of the monitored area also limited and doesn’t increase. As we know rhinos is not small animal, their weight and height is big and they are bigger than Sumatran rhinos. The space room obviously limited because their area is not only for them, but also their natural food. The plant are in the forest which too high covering the plants above from sunlight. It cause the plants above can’t grow. The naturally food of rhinos is threated can’t regeneration.
Beside that thing, the rhinos are also threated to in-breeding which make it possible to crashing the genetic. That’s possible to happen because the rhinos live in one point together. To solve this problem, The Official of National Park Ujung Kulon observing by the satellite to know where the rhinos-live area. They are also learn and grouping which one the rhinos who has the furthest blood and make it together in one pocket. As much as possible, the Official of National Park Ujung Kulon doesn’t want to disturb the rhinos like make stress unconsciously.
Rhino was also using as mascot in Asian Game 2018 Jakarta-Palembang. The mascot named as Kaka. Kaka symbolize as power, energy, and spirit. Every winner gold medalist in this event will be given a Kaka dolls as officially merchandise. Not only for athlete, this doll also being best seller on official store of Asian Games 2018. We hope this would be new spirit for not only conserver, but also we to unite as one for keep rhinos population with stop hunt them. Keep loving animals and also please let’s get closer with Javanese Rhinos.