Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesia’s Ministry of Environment and Forestry has announced that one new female Javan rhinoceros calf was spotted at the Ujung Kulon National Park (TNUK) in Pandeglang regency, Banten province.
Javan rhinoceros is one of the world's most critically endangered species.
Footage captured in May from a camera set up in the national park on the western tip of Java island showed the baby walking with her mother.
Based on the team's identification, the rhinoceros calf, named Iris, is estimated to be aged 3 to 5 months.
It is the first time the mother, Putri, was spotted with a calf, which indicates that Iris is her first child.
Last year, a female rhinoceros calf believed to be born in February 2023 was spotted in Indonesia.
Javan rhinoceros, distinguished by their single horn, were once found throughout northeast India and Southeast Asia. They are now among the most threatened rhino species, mainly due to poaching.
According to the International Rhino Foundation, there are only about 80 Javan rhinoceros globally, all in Indonesia.
Head of the Ujung Kulon National Park Ardi Andono said that although Javan rhinoceroses can reproduce, this does not mean that they and their habitats are safe from various disturbances, such as hunting activities, predators, diseases, inbreeding, and natural disasters./.
