21-Jun-09 1:00 PM CST

Rhino Relocation Proposed To Encourage Reproduction

Wildlife authorities want to divide the lone herd of endangered Javan rhinoceros into two populations by 2012 in the hope that this will hasten reproduction, Ujung Kulon National Park spokesman Enjat Sudrajat said at the Banten park on Sunday.

“We have been planning a second habitat for the species, but it will not be far away from the original habitat,” he said.

Enjat said the new herd — initially three females and one male — would be relocated only as far as the Gunung Honje area, which borders the current population’s habitat in the Semenanjung Ujung Kulon area.

Only an estimated 50 Javan rhinos remain in the wild and researchers believe the number has remained largely static over many years through habitat pressure.

By starting a new herd, they believe the animals will be encouraged to breed faster.

The 120,551-hectare Ujung Kulon National Park in Banten was established in 1992 by the Ministry of Forestry.

The park is home to the Javan rhinoceroses and other threatened species such as leopards, silvery gibbons and bantengs , a kind of buffalo.

The national park is divided into three major parts, including the Gunung Honje area, the Semenanjung Ujung Kulon area, and the Panaitan area.

The Forestry Ministry says it is also home to 34 other mammals, five primates, 59 reptiles, 22 amphibians, 240 birds species, 72 insects 142 fish species and 33 coral reefs.

“We are hoping that when the second habitat is ready, the rhinos will eventually cross to the new area naturally without having to be captured or tranquilized,” Enjat said.

Adhi Rachmat Hariyadi, WWF project leader of Ujung Kulon National Park, said the idea of a second habitat had been discussed since 1995, but many practical steps were needed to make the move a reality, including finding a similar habitat area and determining how to make the relocation a success.

Adhi said the main objective of the second habitat was to develop a “back-up” population.

“The method we usually use in Indonesia is to place a pair of an endangered species in an area and get them to breed with human help, but relocating a new population is more like a form of transmigration for rhinos,” he said, adding that the method has been applied in India and Nepal.

He said the relocation of the rhinos formed part of a necessary backup plan because having the only existing rhino population in one area meant the risk of extinction was higher.

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