maybe this has already been posted?
6 newborn Javan rhinos seen in Indonesian park | www.daytondailynews.com
Trying to find out more
6 newborn Javan rhinos seen in Indonesian park | www.daytondailynews.com
Trying to find out more
Lots of babies - Javan rhinos
- Thread starter jay
- Start date
It's certainly good news, the population is definitely on the up!
Only problem that I can see is how long before UK reaches maximum capacity?
They would have to start first - there are none in the UK!!
I've edited my original post to make it more clear!!
Ah! Now I understand. I had been baffled as to how a poster of your calibre had thought that they were in the United Kingdom!!!
Thanks for that.
You're welcome, thank you for the compliment.
This is potentially another piece of very good conservation news for a CR endangered taxon. It is probably the best news for the population in years!
I suspect the carrying capacity is about 50-60 rhinos. At the moment, we are years away from that scenario. Having said that, it would be perhaps advisable to already move on some of the surplus male sub adult rhinos to the second site. Last I heard it was still in the early stages of any potential transfer to another site on Jawa.
I suspect the carrying capacity is about 50-60 rhinos. At the moment, we are years away from that scenario. Having said that, it would be perhaps advisable to already move on some of the surplus male sub adult rhinos to the second site. Last I heard it was still in the early stages of any potential transfer to another site on Jawa.
IanRRobinson
Well-Known Member
This is the terrible issue with conservation - the forces of good, being conscientious move so slowly, while the forces of evil (and I think we can all agree that the near destrucrion of a unique mammalian family merits the adjective) move so fast.Look at the Northern White Rhino; look at the Javan Rhino population in Vietnam.
The article states that the total population is 40-60, so perhaps not so far off. They have been saying "about 50" for the last 50 years, but I would think that current methods of population estimation are a little more accurate these days.
Recent research involving camera trapping, age-sex scoring and DNA dung research has shown the population at the moment is no more than 34-40 individuals.
They have indeed. The population would seem from that to have remained constant, neither increasing nor decreasing significantly, but it seems now that was probably an over-estimate and modern monitoring techniques have now provided a more accurate picture of current status. And it can also detect the presence(or absence) of new calves too.
Dicerorhinus
Well-Known Member
I know this species and its conservation is of interest to many of you so I'm going to address a few points. Firstly I get the impression that one or two people only read the title? These "babies" are between 1 and 2 years old. As far as I know there is no evidence of recent births, and thus this is very much old news.
Brum, we abbreviate Ujung Kulon to UKNP!
The carrying capacity of Ujung Kulon WAS thought to be around 50 animals. The fact is Krakatoa actually made Ujung Kulon more appropriate Javan Rhino habitat. With succession (ecological process) UKNP moves further away from ideal rhino habitat and can support fewer individuals. This change in ecology has benefited Javan Banteng which have seen considerable population growth in the park adding a further pressure to the rhino. Hence the population today of around 35 animals.
Ian, you probably don't know too much about it but ecological restoration can't be accomplished overnight. Invasive plant species need to be removed and replaced by the naturally occurring species the rhinos consume which then need to mature. The infrastructure of the park must be improved but in a manner which has minimal impact on the occupants. The rediscovered population of annamiticus was not viable and grossly overestimated in size. The rhino at Garamba would have been saved but the government changed their mind and declined assistance, nothing to do with the 'pace of conservation'.
Several organisations have collaborated to increase the useable habitat within Ujung Kulon for the animals. This area, in the east of the park, will serve as the staging area for a planned translocation. Sorry, but that's all I can say on that for the moment...
Brum, we abbreviate Ujung Kulon to UKNP!
The carrying capacity of Ujung Kulon WAS thought to be around 50 animals. The fact is Krakatoa actually made Ujung Kulon more appropriate Javan Rhino habitat. With succession (ecological process) UKNP moves further away from ideal rhino habitat and can support fewer individuals. This change in ecology has benefited Javan Banteng which have seen considerable population growth in the park adding a further pressure to the rhino. Hence the population today of around 35 animals.
Ian, you probably don't know too much about it but ecological restoration can't be accomplished overnight. Invasive plant species need to be removed and replaced by the naturally occurring species the rhinos consume which then need to mature. The infrastructure of the park must be improved but in a manner which has minimal impact on the occupants. The rediscovered population of annamiticus was not viable and grossly overestimated in size. The rhino at Garamba would have been saved but the government changed their mind and declined assistance, nothing to do with the 'pace of conservation'.
Several organisations have collaborated to increase the useable habitat within Ujung Kulon for the animals. This area, in the east of the park, will serve as the staging area for a planned translocation. Sorry, but that's all I can say on that for the moment...
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It really does my head in when journos do not check their facts right.
I had assumed - that reporting true to story - the journos had.
In fact, as I said before the current population is between ca. 34-40 (best estimate), hence the number 35 positively identified individuals by camera trapping and DNA/genetic research.
The omens for the population are not good, even though the UKNP has been effectively the stamping ground for the Jawan rhino in Jawa for more than a century. Indeed, Krakatoa and A. Krakatoa provide the Peninsula and the rhinos a security not seen elsewhere and have somewhat guaranteed human habitation in the region is low (and given that marshland and waterways are part of the habitat it is an inhospitable place for human habitation ... thankfully).
Recruitment has been low for the last decade and the earlier guestimates of 50-60 rhinos gave a sense of false security. Now the population is more or less better documented, it is known this is a heavily skewed population favouring males over females and very few of the calves seen are actually females and even the number of breeding females remains low and is not even fully understood.
Hence, Jawan rhinos remain on a knife edge ...
I had assumed - that reporting true to story - the journos had.
In fact, as I said before the current population is between ca. 34-40 (best estimate), hence the number 35 positively identified individuals by camera trapping and DNA/genetic research.
The omens for the population are not good, even though the UKNP has been effectively the stamping ground for the Jawan rhino in Jawa for more than a century. Indeed, Krakatoa and A. Krakatoa provide the Peninsula and the rhinos a security not seen elsewhere and have somewhat guaranteed human habitation in the region is low (and given that marshland and waterways are part of the habitat it is an inhospitable place for human habitation ... thankfully).
Recruitment has been low for the last decade and the earlier guestimates of 50-60 rhinos gave a sense of false security. Now the population is more or less better documented, it is known this is a heavily skewed population favouring males over females and very few of the calves seen are actually females and even the number of breeding females remains low and is not even fully understood.
Hence, Jawan rhinos remain on a knife edge ...
Dicerorhinus
Well-Known Member
I thought that this video would be of interest to some of you:
Javan Rhinos - YouTube
It shows the best camera trap footage of 35 of the 37 Javan Rhinoceros inhabiting UKNP.
Unfortunately the population demographics are unfavourable with a high male skew and a lot of aged individuals. Despite this, plans are progressing to try increase the population and I'm excited to say I'm going to be involved. When I can say more I'll post an update.
Javan Rhinos - YouTube
It shows the best camera trap footage of 35 of the 37 Javan Rhinoceros inhabiting UKNP.
Unfortunately the population demographics are unfavourable with a high male skew and a lot of aged individuals. Despite this, plans are progressing to try increase the population and I'm excited to say I'm going to be involved. When I can say more I'll post an update.
A large area in the buffer zone is currently being cleared of invasive plants. This will allow animals to move into the buffer zone as their normal food plants can replenish themselves.
In fact, the removal is moving along quite well and food plants are growing. There is already documented evidence that the rhinos have visited this area.
In fact, the removal is moving along quite well and food plants are growing. There is already documented evidence that the rhinos have visited this area.
Very interesting and fascinating video. Thanks for posting the link. I could see a lot of adult males in the video but couldn't identify the sex of each and every animal that appeared- do you happen to know the exact sex ratio of the known individuals?
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