Good News: The Javan Rhino Population Increases After 2 Rhino Calves Are Born In Ujung Kulon

Illustration. (Photo: Unsplash)

JAKARTA - The population of the Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus) and the Javan eagle (Nisaetus bartelsi) increased after the birth of two Javan rhinoceros calves in Ujung Kulon National Park and the hatching of Javan eagle eggs in the Beautiful Indonesia National Park (TMII).

According to a press release from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) in Jakarta, as reported by Antara, Saturday, June 12, two Javan rhino calves were caught by camera traps in the Ujung Kulon Peninsula area, Ujung Kulon National Park, the westernmost part of Java Island, since March 2021.

According to the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, the female Javan rhino calf which was caught on camera trapping on March 18, 2021, was born to a mother named Ambu, who previously gave birth to a Javan rhino calf in 2017.

Meanwhile, a male Javan rhinoceros cub whose age is estimated to be one year old began to be caught by camera traps in March 2021 with its mother named Palasari.

According to the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, the two Javan rhino cubs are the first Javan rhino cubs born in 2021.

The Ministry of Environment and Forestry stated that the birth of a Javan rhino calf in Ujung Kulon National Park shows the success of the policy to protect the Javan rhino habitat in the national park area.

According to the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, the number of Javan rhinos in Ujung Kulon National Park until May 2021 was recorded at 73 individuals, consisting of 40 male Javan rhinos and 33 female Javan rhinos.

TMII welcomes the birth of the Javanese eagle

Bird Park Conservation Institute of Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII) on May 29, 2021, managed to incubate one Javan eagle egg.

The mother of the Javan eagle from the TMII collection started laying eggs in 2014. Hatching efforts were carried out from 2014 to 2020 through a natural incubation process by the mother. But to no avail.

Based on the evaluation results, in 2021 the incubation process will be carried out with the help of an incubator.

During 23 days of incubation process from 6 to 29 May 2021, one egg hatched into a Javan eagle nestling weighing 53 grams. On June 11, 2021, the Javan eagle nestling was 14 days old and in good health.

The Javan eagle and Javan rhinoceros are endangered species that are included in the list of 25 species with top priority for conservation in the Ministry of Environment and Forestry.

Both types of animals are protected according to Government Regulation no. 7 of 1999 and Regulation of the Minister of Environment and Forestry Number 106 of 2018.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies the Javan rhinoceros as critically endangered or critically endangered and the Javan eagle as endangered.

The Director-General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Wiratno, stated that the birth of the Javan rhino in Ujung Kulon National Park and the Javan eagle in TMII shows the government's serious efforts in preserving Indonesia's endemic animals.

"We must together support the conservation of Indonesian animals," said Wiratno.