JAVAN RHINOCEROS. SKIN
JAVAN RHINOCEROS. SOFTWARE

It is mainly solitary, with the exception of mating pairs and mothers with young. Yet some things are known about the life history of the Javan rhinoceros. The Javan rhinoceros has not been well studied, and the lack of information is an obstacle to developing an effective management strategy that both protects existing rhinos and increases their numbers.

JAVAN RHINOCEROS. SOFTWARE

This article explores the current status of the Javan rhinoceros and presents a possible recovery strategy based on the results of a model using Vortexâ„¢ population viability analysis (PVA) software developed in 2001. It is thought that fewer than five remain in Cat Tien, whereas somewhere between 40 and 50 inhabit UKNP. Once widely distributed throughout Southeast Asia, Java, Sumatra, and northern India, the Javan rhinoceros is currently found in just two areas: Cat Tien National Park in Vietnam and Ujung Kulon National Park (UKNP) on the island of Java, in Indonesia.

JAVAN RHINOCEROS. SKIN

The Javan rhinoceros differs from other species by the presence of a single horn on its snout and prominent skin folds on its body, which have the appearance of armored plates.

While the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) lists the black rhinoceros and other rhinoceros species as critically endangered, the Javan, or lesser one-horned, rhinoceros ( Rhinoceros sondaicus) is much rarer.

In recent months, much press has been devoted to the plight of the black rhinoceros ( Diceros bicornis), whose numbers have declined from about 70,000 in the 1960s to roughly 3,700 today as a result of poaching. This week, John writes for Advocacy for Animals on the status of the Javan rhino, an endangered species whose population is believed to consist of only 50 to 60 individuals. Before joining Britannica in 2006, he taught courses in geography, earth science, environmental science, and biology. He holds a doctorate in geography from the University of Illinois. Rafferty is Britannica’s editor for earth sciences. A Status Report and Possible Management Strategy