A rare sample of Javan rhinos has been spotted in a national park in Indonesia, enhancing hopes for the conservation of this species, which is among the most endangered mammals in the world. The animal observed is a calf estimated to be between three and five months old, with its sex still unknown. It was seen last month in footage from one of the 126 hidden cameras in Ujung Kulon National Park on Java Island, west of Indonesia's capital, Jakarta.
Indonesian Environment Ministry official Satiawan Budiatmoko stated in a statement published on Saturday, "Thank God, this is good news proving that Javan rhinos, found only in Ujung Kulon, can reproduce properly." The rhino calf was seen walking with its mother in the 120,000-hectare reserve, which features rainforest and waterways, located at the southwestern tip of Java, the last natural habitat of this critically endangered species, according to UNESCO.
Indonesian authorities estimate the number of these animals to be around 82, having witnessed a decline over the years. Previously, their numbers were in the thousands throughout Southeast Asia, but poaching and human encroachment on their habitats have significantly reduced their population.
