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Javan rhinos under threat from natural disasters, inbreeding
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This handout still image taken from video footage on May 22, 2020 and released by the Environment and Forestry Ministry on September 20, 2020 shows a male Javan rhinoceros calf named Luther (left) in Ujung Kulon National Park in Banten.
(AFP/ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTRY MINISTRY )
T
he Javan rhinoceros, which is among the most critically endangered species in Indonesia, is under threat from natural disasters and inbreeding as a result of its small population, the staff of Ujung Kulon National Park in Banten have warned.
The Javan rhino is listed as a critically endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list because of its small population. The species, which previously inhabited parts of other Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam and Thailand, is now only concentrated in the national park.
The national park’s spokesperson Andri Firmansyah said the Javan rhino population in the park was recorded at 75 animals as of June. According to observations from camera traps installed around the park, four new calves were caught on camera between March and June.
This figure was a slight improvement from an estimated 68 rhinos living in the park, around a third of which were thought to be reproductive individuals, according to data from the IUCN in 2018.
Andri said while the rhinos were generally in good health, concerns remain over the species’ long-term future.
“Our main concerns are related to inbreeding, as well as threats of tsunami, given that the location of our national park is close to the sea,” Andri told The Jakarta Post recently.
The rhino’s relatively small population and its concentration in a single habitat means that it is prone to species inbreeding, which could cause genetic disorders and loss of genetic variability and undermine the vitality of the species, making it more vulnerable to diseases.
