World Rhino Day Brings Hope to Ujung Kulon

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – September 22 marks the commemoration of World Rhino Day. In line with this observance, good news comes from Ujung Kulon National Park (TNUK), Banten, which serves as the last remaining home for the Javan rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus), one of the rarest mammals in the world that can now only be found in a single location on the planet.

The effort to save the Javan rhino began back in 1967, when its population was recorded at only 25 individuals. For decades of consistent conservation efforts, that number has now grown several times over, reaching an estimated 87 to 100 individuals based on the latest figures from the Ministry of Forestry in collaboration with experts from IPB University.

Further encouraging news comes from internal data recorded by the TNUK Park Authority, which documented four new Javan rhino births throughout 2024. Given that rhinos have a long gestation period and a slow reproductive rate, each birth carries significant weight for the survival of the species.

Indonesia holds a special role in the global effort to preserve rhino populations. Of the five rhino species still surviving on Earth, two of them, the Javan rhino and the Sumatran rhino, can only be found within Indonesian territory, making the country the last remaining guardian of both species.

Beyond population growth, the genetic diversity of the Javan rhino has also become a key concern for researchers and conservation area managers. Intensive monitoring continues to be carried out, including through the use of camera traps and spatial survey approaches, to ensure that every individual rhino can be properly identified and protected.

Through the Ministry of Forestry, the government continues to strengthen its conservation measures to sustain this positive momentum. Ongoing efforts include preparations for translocating Javan rhinos to a second habitat, as well as relocation plans aimed at saving rhino populations from the threat of extinction in the future.

This year's World Rhino Day serves as a reminder that long-term conservation work can indeed produce real results. The moment also stands as a call to action for all parties to continue supporting the preservation of the Javan and Sumatran rhinos as part of Indonesia's natural heritage for the world.