Javan Rhinoceros

## About

A Javan rhinoceros wading through water.

The Javan rhinoceros ***(Rhinoceros sondaicus)*** is an Asian rhino species that inhabits only the island of Java, Indonesia. Javan rhinos are smaller than other Asian rhinos and only have one horn, a common characteristic in only the Javan and Sumatran rhino ***(Dicerorhinus sumatrensis)***. The skin of the Javan rhino is wrinkled and leathery in texture and appears darker in tone than most other rhino species, it also folds in places, giving it an almost armour-like appearance. A distinguishing feature that typically differentiates Asiatic rhinos from Africanised rhinos is the way their skin appears. African rhinos typically have smoother skin with little to no bumps of indents, whether as Asian rhino have more weathered skin, being tough and rough to the touch. Javan rhinos in particular have extremely tough and bumpy skin on their shoulders, underbellies and rumps. Rhinos have thick legs that taper towards the ankle and flare out around the foot, creating a disproportionate appearance. Rhino feet are elephantine having three large broad toes, with hard yellow toenails for each. Javan rhinos typically measure around 3-3.2m (10-10.5ft) in length and weigh 899.9-2,300kg (1,984-5,071lbs) and stand at around 1.7m (5.5ft) at the shoulder, making them one of the smallest rhino species but also the largest animal in Java and the second largest in Indonesia.

## Diet

Javan rhinos are herbivorous typically browsing on high hanging plant matter such as, twigs, shoots, young foliage and on occasion grasses and fallen fruits. Javan rhinos are suited to a very particular environment with access to bodies of water like marshes however, they are not known to eat an abundance of aquatic plants.

## Conservation Status

Javan rhinos are recognised as critically endangered by the IUCN and are threatened by the increasing demand for rhinoceros horn products in the East and Southeast Asian regions. All species of rhino are currently being poached for their horns however, Asiatic rhinos typically get it worse due to their closer proximity to rhino trafficking hot spots. Javan rhinos recently became completely Extinct from mainland Asia due to the excessive poaching that they faced. It is likely that this extinction was strongly influenced by the Vietnam War and the various traps, mines and toxic chemicals such as Agent Orange, which the war left in its wake. Rhinoceros horn has multiple purposes in traditional Chinese medicine, being grounded up into a powder that is typically consumed with food, promising healing properties. Obviously, none of the benefits of ingesting rhino horn are legitimate and do not actually have an effect on health, positive or otherwise. Fortunately no Javan rhinos have been poached since 2010, with there being no evidence that Javan rhino horn is currently in trade. All Javan rhino carcasses recently discovered have had their horns entirely intact, with evidence of natural deaths. Other than human-caused threats, Javan rhinos are put at risk by natural disasters that are common in Java. During 1883 Ujung Kulon National Park (the rhino's only remaining range) was badly damaged from an unexpected volcanic eruption by Krakatau, eventually the surrounding jungle regenerated however, another catastrophic eruption could cause the rhino to die out. This fabled disaster is entirely possible with Anak Krakatau (meaning 'Son of Krakatau') having been active up until late 2018. Once Anak Krakatau collapsed into the sea, it created a large scale tsunami. Fortunately the disaster had no effect on the Javan rhino population.

## Range and Population

Javan rhinos have an extremely small population, with estimates ranging from 60-72 individuals remaining. Javan rhinos once had a much larger range, living in mainland countries such as China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Bangladesh and much more southeast Asian nations. The Javan rhino population was at its very lowest in 1967, with only 25 individuals at the time however, the population had doubled in the 1980s and has remained close to that number ever since, until 2019 when the rhino population had reached 72 according to a census conducted in Ujung Kulon. Although the historic range of the Javan rhino spanned many mainland countries, the rhinos can now only be found in the Ujung Kulon National Park, Java. The very last mainland Javan rhino was poached for its horn in late 2009 and found dead in April 2010 in Vietnam. The death of this individual also consequently marked the extinction of the Vietnamese Javan rhino ***(Rhinoceros sondaicus annamiticus)***, of which this individual was the last representative. Today Javan rhinos inhabit the lowland rainforests of Ujung Kulon, typically in close proximity to marshes and swamps. The rhinos used to also be found in grasslands and tropical cloud forests until the mainland extinction.

## Behaviour

Due to the Javan rhino's elusive nature, not much is known about their behavioural characteristics. Like most Asiatic rhinos, Javan rhinos are solitary only interacting with another member of their species during the breeding season and the subsequent caring of offspring. Javan rhino breeding intervals occur every 4-5 years during July to November, the gestation period is estimated at around 16 months. Calves are generally weened for the first 1-2 years of their infancy.

### Relationship with Humans

As the Javan rhinos live in the protected Ujung Kulon National Park, little to no human-wildlife conflict occurs. Javan rhinos are shy animals and when encountered by humans, will not show signs of aggression. Instead they are more likely to flee than partake in a fight.

## In Captivity

Though no Javan rhinos live in captivity today however, an individual captured in Jakarta was housed in London Zoo form 1874-1885. The lack of captive breeding efforts could lead to the extinction of the species, due to their tiny population.

## Sources

* IUCN Red List of Threatened Species - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/19495/18493900
* Javan Rhinoceros | Edge of Existence - http://www.edgeofexistence.org/species/javan-rhinoceros/
* Javan Rhino Extinct in Mainland Asia | NAT GEO - https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/111028-vietnam-javan-rhinos-extinct-species-science-animals
* Rhinoceros sondaicus annamiticus | Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinoceros\_sondaicus\_annamiticus
* Extinction of the Javan Rhinoceros From Vietnam | WWF - https://wwf.panda.org/wwf\_news/?202115/Extinction-of-the-Javan-Rhinoceros-from-Vietnam
* Javan Rhinoceros | WWF - https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/javan-rhino
* Rhinoceros sondaicus | Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology - https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Rhinoceros\_sondaicus/
* Javan Rhinos-Doing it Tough | WWF News - https://www.wwf.org.au/news/blogs/javan-rhinos-doing-it-tough