TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The number of Javanese rhinoceros in Ujung Kulon National Park, located on the western tip of Java Island, has increased. In 2012, there were 51 rhinos recorded, up from 2011's figure of 35. The exciting news was delivered by the Ministry of Forestry in Jakarta on Saturday, April 6.
In an event titled "Releasing 10,000 Maleo to the Wild and the Javan Rhino Monitoring Results of 2012" in Jakarta, Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan, said the increasing number of rhinoceros could be due to the higher birth rate.
"Supporting factors such as higher monitoring technical capability and the increased size of the monitoring area are also influential," said Zulkifli.
The National Park Authority Team has been actively observing the movement of the Javan rhino population since 2011. Zulkifli said these observations indicate that the Javan rhino population has improved dramatically.
"The monitoring of the Javan rhino population in Ujung Kulon will be carried each year to gain insight into if the species' demographic parameters," he said.
The Javan rhinoceros is among Indonesia's protected species. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) includes the one-horned mammal as an endangered species in its Red List Data Book.
At the moment, the Javan rhino can only be found in Ujung Kulon National Park. A second population in Cat Tien National Park in Vietnam was declared extinct in 2011. They are also the most threatened of the five rhino species in the world.
MAHARDIKA SATRIA HADI
