The Sumatran or ‘hairy’ rhino as it is sometimes referred to, is the smallest of the living rhinoceroses. Their habitats include dense highland and lowland tropical and subtropical forests. The number of Sumatran Rhinoceros is difficult to determine because they are solitary animals and widely scattered across their range, however, they are estimated to be around 300 remaining. Sumatran rhinoceroses are now critically endangered with only 6 substantial populations in the wild, four on Sumatra, one on Borneo and one on peninsular Malaysia. They also comprise an ‘insurance’ population that can be used to re-establish or revitalize wild populations, once threats have been eliminated in their natural habitat.The Sumatran Rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis), once ranged through rainforests, swamps and cloud forests in India, Burma, Thailand, Malaysia and islands in Indonesia. The rhinos living at the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary serve as ambassadors for their wild counterparts, and as instruments for education for local communities and the general public. Given the species’ Critically Endangered status, it’s important that we learn as much as possible about the Sumatran rhino – its basic biology, disease risks, food and habitat requirements – to help it survive. Sumatran Rhinos are Critically Endangeredĭespite continuous protection, the Sumatran rhino population has decreased by more than 70% over the last 30 years. These births were the result of years of hard work and international research and collaboration – and they represent our best hope of saving Sumatran rhinos from extinction. The female calf is also the first offspring for male Andatu, who is now approaching 10 years old. After eight lost pregnancies, Sumatran rhino Rosa gave birth to her first calf on March 24, 2022. Delilah was the second calf born to the pair on May 12, 2016. Female Ratu gave birth to a male calf, Andatu on June 23, 2012, after having been bred by Andalas in March 2011 and taking a 16-month pregnancy to term. The Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary has produced the only three calves born in captivity in Indonesia. A coalition of international conservation organizations, including IRF, has launched the Sumatran Rhino Rescue project, a multi-faceted, multi-year effort to survey, translocate, breed and ultimately return rhinos to the wild in protected, sustainable habitats. The SRS expansion is the third step in the emergency action plan developed under the guidance of the Indonesian government. The larger sanctuary will provide a home for more rescued rhinos and support the Indonesian government’s national breeding program to help save the species. In October 2019, IRF and YABI cut the ribbon on the expansion of the Way Kambas Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary in Indonesia. With no more than 80 Sumatran rhinos left in the wild, the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary plays a critical role in the survival of the species. The goal of this program is to increase our knowledge about the ecology and behavior of the species while also supporting the population in the wild. This tiny population is the core of an intensively managed breeding and research program that is intended to promote the species’ population growth while also generating a genetically diverse “founder” group that could be used as a source for animals to repopulate the National Parks. The facility’s eight resident rhinos reside in large, natural rainforest habitats and receive state-of-the-art veterinary care and nutrition. Located in the heart of Way Kambas National Park on the island of Sumatra, the SRS is home to the only reproductively viable captive Sumatran rhinos in the world. In 1996, the International Rhino Foundation (IRF) built the 250-acre Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary in partnership with local NGO Yayasan Badak Indonesia (YABI), who currently manages the SRS, the Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Way Kambas National Park and Taman Safari International.
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