Rhinoceroses are some of the most extraordinary creatures on the planet, and these large horned mammals with their thick armor-like skin are flagship species for conservation, since these animals represent a fast disappearing class of animals—the megafauna—which are often slow to reproduce, overexploited by humans, and the subject of human-wildlife conflicts as adequate habitat and wilderness lands continue to disappear.

People tend to associate the rhino with Africa. However, rhinos are found from India down through Southeast Asia, and some of the most endangered species of rhino are found outside of Africa (although all species of rhino are threatened with extinction).

The Javan rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus) is threatened by poaching in addition to habitat degradation, loss, and fragmentation. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species lists the Javan rhino as critically endangered, and the Red List justifies a critical status, because the population is severely fragmented: “This species is listed as Critically Endangered because there are less than 50 mature individuals; and because there fewer than 250 mature individuals, with no subpopulation greater than 50 individuals.” As a result, some populations of Javan rhinos “may be too small to be viable, and no breeding has been observed for many years, and it is possible that the animals are too old to breed.”

There were three subspecies of the Javan rhino: (1) Rhinoceros sondaicus sondaicus, which is restricted to the “westernmost extremity of the island of Java;” (2) Rhinoceros sondaicus inermis, which “formerly occurred in northeastern India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar, but is now extinct;” and (3) Rhinoceros sondaicus annamiticus is found only in Viet Nam. Curiously, the Red List notes that the Javan rhino may be restricted to or forced to live out an existence in less than ideal habitat, since the “species formerly occurred in more open mixed forest and grassland and on high mountains.” Captive breeding, reintroductions, and translocations are recommended for the long-term survival of this species. From Sky News:

Conservation groups say the Javan Rhino is now the most endangered mammal in the world because of its extremely low birthrate.

There are only 60 of the animals left in the wild, and nearly all of those live in an Indonesian National Park.

Christy Williams from the World Wildlife Fund says the park has reached its maximum capacity of rhinos.

He says “We need to take immediate, urgent action to try to move some of these rhinos to another suitable site, either on Java or Sumatra island.”

“If we don’t act quickly, I think we could lose this population.”

Out of the 50 Javan rhinos that live in Ujung Kulon National Park, only three of the females are breeding continuously.

Therefore only one Javan rhino is born every year, which is four times fewer than necessary to sustain a healthy, growing population.

Researchers say the small population of the species living in Vietnam are no longer breeding at all.

Camera traps capturing the Javan Rhinoceros

The World Wildlife Fund releases footage of a small family of Javan rhinos in the Ujung Kulon National Park

Javan rhino attacks camera

The first Javan Rhino image is by WWF, and it was found here. The second image is by Alain Compost, and it was found here. Browse more Javan rhino images here.

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