Every day, around 100 species go extinct. Most of these species may be creatures too small or located in too remote places for us to realise that they have even disappeared. It is becoming increasingly likely though, that a much larger and more well-know species could be joining those lost from our lands.

Endangered

The Javan rhino is considered by many to be the most endangered mammal in the world. Even optimistic estimates of their population don’t put their numbers at much higher than 50.

Threats

These rhinos are rarely spotted, so we are still not sure of the extent of the danger they are in. We do know of the range of threats that these animals face.  Most significant among these are those caused by humans. Both poaching and encroachment on habitat are putting huge pressure on the rhinos, with a rhino found as recently as a fortnight ago with bullet wounds from suspected hunters.

The fact that people are continuing to cause the rhinos harm is made worse because they already face problems as a result of the natural world. Competition from other species and an ongoing drought—which has dried water sources and depleted grasses essential for their diet—have become major challenges.

Protection

While we can do little to control the elements, it is imperative that we minimalise the damage that we are causing them if their numbers are ever going to improve.

Because the population is localised to a small national park in Indonesia, they feel the effects of local environmental change more strongly, but it should also mean that protecting them from damaging human influence an easier task.

Poached

Recently, two skeletons were found in Ujung Kulon National Park, the rhinos’ primary home, and a third was found in Vietnam. While investigators believe the first two rhinos died due to natural causes, the third—found with a gunshot wound and missing horn—was clearly a victim of poaching.

Adhi Rachmat Haryadi, a WWF-Indonesia official stationed at the park, commented:

“When you are talking about populations as small as this, even one death is significant.”

Action

Even though these rhino deaths are obviously sad, especially with numbers already so low, they may ultimately prove beneficial to the species as a whole, as the run of deaths have brought the rhinos’ plight to public attention and spurred conservationists into increased action to protect the remaining animals.

Construction of a seven-mile-long electric fence that will create a new protected area alongside the park has already begun, while officials are also considering a relocation program. A similar project has proved successful in boosting populations of Black rhinos.

While it seems as though things are bleak for the Javan Rhinos, it must be pointed out that without the efforts of conservationists over the last half a century, the species could already have gone extinct. In the 1960s, only about 20 rhinos remained in Ujung Kulon National Park. The population rebounded to about 50 by the 1990s and has remained about the same ever since.

The Future

A lot more hard work will be required if this success is to continue, and hopefully with the extra public attention, conservationists will receive further support with the hope that one day Javan Rhinos won’t just be avoiding extinction, but will once again be thriving.