Jakarta, Ministry of Environment and Forestry Public Relations Bureau, Monday, March 21, 2016. A Sumatran Rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) was spotted in a pit trap on Saturday, March 12, 2016. This is the first time in five decades that a Sumatran rhino has been directly observed in its habitat in West Kutai Regency, East Kalimantan.

The captured rhino is known to be a female with an age of about 4 - 5 years. This rhino individual was identified by a camera trap installed by the WWF Indonesia Rhino Survey Team in October 2015.

After recognizing the rhino in the trap hole, the team immediately built a temporary enclosure (boma), where the rhino can stay for a maximum of two months. Since Monday, March 14, the captured rhino has been inside the boma, which has an area of about 50m2.

Until now, it has been identified through camera traps and footprints that there are at least 15 individual Sumatran rhinos in three population pockets in the West Kutai Regency area. According to drh. Dedi Candra, from Way Kambas National Park, who was at the location when the rhino was found in the pit trap, the health condition of the rhino found was stated to be starting to adjust and the nylon rope snare on the left hind leg had been successfully removed completely.

Since December 2015, the Sumatran Rhino Rescue Team in West Kutai Regency, formed by the Director General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation, Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK), has been working to prepare a rhino translocation plan in West Kutai.

"We appreciate the work of the team that has managed to capture one of the rhinos in West Kutai Regency. This is a hopeful step in our efforts to save the Sumatran Rhino population in Kalimantan and further demonstrates Indonesia's commitment to the conservation of Rare Plants and Animals (TSL)," said Siti Nurbaya, Minister of Environment and Forestry, during a press conference at Manggala Wanabakti, Monday (21/03).

The Regent of West Kutai, Ismail Thomas, on a separate occasion said that the presence of rhinos in his area is the pride of the people of West Kutai. He really hopes that the rhino population, which is known to be rare in Kalimantan, can be maintained. "The district government and all elements of society are ready to support efforts to save rhinos, which are actually part of the lives of local people."

Currently KLHK together with partners in the Sumatran Rhino Rescue Team in West Kutai District are preparing a place that will be used as a Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary in Kalimantan in the Kelian protected forest area. This protected area was authorized by the Minister of Forestry in 2012 based on the proposal of the West Kutai Regent in 2008.

Dr. Efransjah, CEO of WWF Indonesia said, "We have a great opportunity to sustain the Sumatran Rhino population in Borneo. It is important to provide them with a safe home, as some of the identified populations are in vulnerable areas."

Meanwhile Widodo Ramono, Executive Director of YABI, emphasized the importance of Sumatran Rhinos in Kalimantan having a managed sanctuary similar to the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary (SRS) in Way Kambas National Park. "Placement of Sumatran Rhinos in a sanctuary will allow for tight security and monitoring of the existing population. If the population is adequate, then the construction of this sanctuary will be very useful to support the breeding program in order to reach a viable population figure for the survival of Sumatran Rhinos in Kalimantan, after all, the management of Sumatran rhinos whose populations are very small requires a metapopulation management approach.", concluded Widodo.

News in charge

1. Director General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation, Dr. Tachrir Fathony, Phone. 08121056749
2. Head of KLHK Public Relations Bureau, Novrizal, HP.0818-432-387
3. Director of Communication & Advocacy WWF Indonesia, Nyoman Iswarayoga, HP.0811-1284-868

This press release can also be viewed on the website: ppid.dephut.go.id

Note to Editors:

1. The presence of rhinos in West Kutai Regency was first identified through footprints in 2013 by the WWF Indonesia Survey Team. It was only in mid-2013 that a camera trap successfully captured a video of a rhino wallowing, confirming the previous tracks.
2. The Sumatran rhino is one of two rhino species in Indonesia. Its current population status is 'critically endangered' with an estimated population of less than 100 individuals, mainly distributed on the island of Sumatra.

The Sumatran Rhino Rescue Team in West Kutai Regency, East Kalimantan was formed based on the Decree of the Director General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation Number. SK. 300/KSDAE-KKH/2015 consisting of elements of KLHK, Provincial and District Governments, academic institutions and conservation organizations working in rhino conservation in Indonesia.