Ministry Of Transportation Claims Only Indonesia Can Conservation Of Javan Rhino

Badak Jawa. (doc the National Park (TN) Ujung Kulon)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Forestry (Kemenhut) stated that only Indonesia managed to maintain the presence of the Javan rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus) even though the population is now getting smaller, with the government continuing to try to maintain and increase the number of animals.

The Director General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation (KSDAE) of the Ministry of Transportation, Satyawan Pudyatmoko explained, from countries in Asia with Javan rhino populations in their wild, only Indonesia managed to maintain its population, although now there are around 87-100 left in Ujung Kulon National Park, Banten.

"Of all countries that have Javan rhinos, who managed to observe? In the past, Vietnam existed, in India there was a Javan rhino. But, only Indonesia managed to observe, sorry, only Indonesia was able even though the population was small," he explained in Jakarta, Friday, August 8, which was confiscated by Antara.

This was conveyed after being asked about the list issued by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) regarding the 10 most endangered animals, with five types of them in Indonesian territory.

Historically, the Javan rhino species has been recorded as spreading not only in Java and Sumatra, but also to Southeast Asia to India, Bhutan and China. Currently, the Javan rhino is only left in the Ujung Kulon TN region and is declared extinct in other regions.

The animal is now in the critical category in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List or is critically endangered. According to the latest data, its population is estimated to reach the range of 87-100.

Not only Javan rhinos, Satyawan explained that Indonesia also continues to strive to conserve the Sumatran rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) which is also critically endangered.

Historically, the animal was previously spread in Southeast Asia, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar to other Asian countries including India, Bhutan, Bangladesh and China. However, it is currently known that only a few areas are recorded to have populations in Indonesian territory.

Indonesia already has the Asaka Rhino Sumatra in Way Kambas National Park, East Lampung to maintain and try to increase the population of Sumatran rhinos.

"We only have (Sumatran ponds), so indeed there are some who are critical animals, but we have to do how the small population can survive," he said.