Copyright 2001 WWF International
October 11, 2001

Gland, Switzerland – Newly-released photos from camera traps and DNA analysis have revealed that four Javan rhinos were born in Ujung Kulon National Park in Indonesia in the last two years, heralding renewed hope for the survival of one of the world's rarest large mammals, WWF, the conservation organization, said today.

Currently, the only viable population is in Ujung Kulon National Park where there are estimated to be around 50 rhinos, with another five to eight thought to live in Cat Tien National Park in Vietnam. The new births were confirmed through an 18-month survey carried out by WWF and the national park authority in Ujung Kulon.

The survey used camera traps set deep in rhinoceros habitat, DNA analysis of droppings and tracking to determine the number of animals living in the park.

“The births are a significant step and indicate that the rhinoceros are breeding with potential for further gains in population after years of zero growth,” said Nazir Foead, Deputy Director for Species Conservation at WWF Indonesia. “The aim of WWF and the park authority is to build the population up to the habitat's carrying-capacity of about 80 animals in Ujung Kulon. Once this is achieved, it will allow for the translocation of other animals to form a founding group for the second Javan rhino population in Indonesia.”

In January 2000, WWF Indonesia and the Ujung Kulon park management, with the support of the American Association of Zoo Keepers, started the camera trapping survey with the setting up of 10 cameras. Between August 2000 and July 2001, the team found footprints of calves and mothers in Ujung Kulon.

In August and September 2000, photos of a mother named Cici were captured on camera in Cigenter in the park. In January 2001, a calf named Doly was photographed in Cikeusik. Another calf, Rara, estimated to have been born in April 1999, has been captured twice on camera. Footprints of another calf and mother were located in Citadahan in July 2001. Although cameras have been set up, neither this mother nor calf have been captured on film yet.

Ujung Kulon was originally established as a nature reserve to protect the rhinoceros whose population had fallen to between 25 and 30 animals in the 1930s. Since the 1960s, WWF has been working with the Indonesian authorities to improve park management and the conservation of the rhino. WWF is helping village communities around the Ujung Kulon National Park of whom about 30% are farm labourers, to improve their livelihoods without jeopardising conservation of the rhinoceros.

This includes supporting micro-credit programmes for women and farmers groups, setting aside zones from which sea weed can be put to traditional use, and promoting locally based ecotourism co-operatives and agroforestry measures. WWF has also been working with the International Rhino Foundation to support Rhino Monitoring and Protection Units. The patrol units are made up of park rangers and local people as part of an effort to boost community participation in conservation.

“Working with the local community, the park authorities and the government, between 1967 and 1978 we managed to double the population of Javan rhinos. WWF will continue to support conservation activities in Ujung Kulon, however, much more intensive monitoring of the new-borns and their mothers is needed so that the population growth can be convincingly determined,” Mr. Foead added.

For further information contact:Nazir Foead, Deputy Director for Species Conservation, WWF Indonesia, Tel +62 21 576 1070, email: nfoead@wwf.or.id

Robert Kihara, Press Officer, WWF International, Tel +41 22 364 9553, email: rkihara@wwfint.org Error: Unable to read footer file.