A rare sighting on a trail camera has given conservationists hope that a critically endangered Javan rhinoceros is still growing its herd.
In early March, a trail camera in Ujung Kulon National Park in western Indonesia captured a female Javan rhinoceros and her calf. There are only about 76 of these animals left in the world.
Javan rhinos are considered to be the most threatened by extinction among all five species of rhinos. They have gray coloring, loose folding skin that looks like armor, and one horn up to 10 inches long.
The Indonesia Ministry of Environment and Forestry announced the encouraging sighting in an April news release. The director general of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation said: “This is good news… it proves that the Javan rhino can develop well and sustainably.”
In the footage, the mother rhino walks ahead with her baby behind her. The young rhino flaps its ears before its mother backs up and they trot back through the forest.
The baby rhino was estimated to be three to five months old at the time, though its sex was unknown. Two other baby rhinos were spotted in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
These rare trail sightings show how important it is to keep the habitat of these rhinos safe. The endangered animals still face threats from hunters, predators, diseases, and natural disasters like extreme weather events caused by pollution.
We must continue to conserve these parks to protect the Javan rhino.
“For that, we and all parties who help in the Javan rhino conservation efforts must not be careless and always anticipate any threats that may occur,” Satyawan said.
Source: https://www.thecooldown.com/outdoors/javan-rhino-baby-calf-camera/