Two Sumatran Rhinos Confirmed Pregnant at Way Kambas Sanctuary

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Indonesian Forestry Ministry has announced that two female Sumatran rhinoceroses (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) are pregnant at the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary (SRS) in Way Kambas National Park, Lampung.

Director of Species and Genetic Conservation at the Forestry Ministry, Ahmad Munawir, described Ratu and Delilah's pregnancies as an important development for Sumatran rhino conservation, not only for Indonesia but also for the world.

"The pregnancies of these two Sumatran rhinos are not only good news for Indonesia, but also for the world. They reaffirm that the pregnancies of both rhinos are part of a long-term effort to sustain the Sumatran rhino population through planned breeding, reproductive health management and intensive monitoring of each individual," he said in a statement received in Jakarta on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

Speaking during a World Rhino Day 2026 event at Taman Safari Indonesia (TSI) in Bogor on Saturday, Oct. 3, Ahmad said Ratu was carrying her fourth calf with male rhino Andalas and had reached 238 days of gestation, or about 7.9 months.

Delilah, meanwhile, is carrying her second calf with male rhino Harapan and has reached 251 days of gestation, or about 8.3 months. The medical team, keepers, and SRS management at Way Kambas National Park continue to closely monitor the health and development of both mothers until they give birth.

Indonesian Rhino Foundation (YABI) chairman Jansen Manansang thanked all parties supporting the program at the Way Kambas SRS, a semi-in-situ breeding facility that keeps rhinos in their natural habitat with minimal human interaction while providing medical care and intensive reproductive monitoring.

He also thanked the International Rhino Foundation (IRF), Taman Safari Indonesia (TSI) and TFCA Sumatera for their financial support in sustaining the program at the sanctuary.

"We and the Way Kambas National Park Office are committed to continuing to monitor the mothers' health, the progress of their pregnancies and their readiness for delivery. The SRS medical team will conduct intensive monitoring to ensure that Ratu and Delilah go through their pregnancies safely and give birth to healthy calves," he said.

The Sumatran rhinoceros is listed as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, with fewer than 80 individuals remaining in the wild. The species now survives only in Indonesia, where it is found in the Leuser Ecosystem, Way Kambas National Park, Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, and East Kalimantan.

With a gestation period of 15 to 16 months and a nursing period of up to two years, each pregnancy and birth not only adds new individuals to the population but also strengthens genetic diversity and supports long-term conservation efforts.

Through the breeding program at the Way Kambas SRS, five Sumatran rhinos have been born to date: Andatu (2012), Delilah (2016), Sedah Mirah (2022), Anggi (2023), and Indra (2023). The Forestry Ministry jointly manages the program through the Way Kambas National Park Office and its partner, YABI. **