Jakarta, September 22, 2019 - The Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) on Friday, September 20, 2019 at Studio 7 TVRI Jakarta, held a public discussion to discuss joint action to save rhinos in Indonesia. Based on the results of Population Viability Analysis Sumatran rhinos in 2015, the current population is estimated to be less than 80 individuals. The rhino species, which is mostly located in conservation areas in Way Kambas National Park, Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, Gunung Leuser Ecosystem Area and a small part on Kalimantan Island, especially in the West Kurai and Mahakam Ulu districts, is urgent to be saved.

In an effort to save the Sumatran Rhino population, the Government of Indonesia, supported by partners, has developed an Emergency Action Plan (RAD) (EAP) to Save the Sumatran Rhino Population 2018-2021 (Director General of KSDAE Decree No. SK 421/KSDAE/SET/KSA.2/XII/2018 dated December 6, 2018). This RAD is a strategic, urgent, revolutionary and high priority step to save the Sumatran Rhino from extinction, given the current small population, low breeding rate, isolated population, insufficient population, and high threat of poaching and habitat loss.

"Rhinos are a gift from God, we must be responsible for this gift, KLHK has worked very hard in the field, we have collaborated with parties, from universities, local governments, observers, and NGOs," said Director of Essential Ecosystem Management (BPEE), Tandya Tjahjana representing the Director of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation (KSDAE) as a guest speaker in the Public Discussion on TVRI.

Tandya also added that without the intervention of Sumatran Rhino protection by humans, the extinction of Sumatran Rhinos is something that cannot be avoided. If this extinction occurs, it will be a bad record for our generation for the next generation.

For this reason, KLHK is ready to support and is always willing to be part of rhino conservation, and KLHK is confident that it is able to develop rhinos in the future because Sumatran rhinos not only belong to Indonesia, but also to the international community.

"The site level is the key, no matter how much we do seminars but if the understanding of conditions at the site level is not good, it will be useless," Tandya added.

Anwar also asked that in saving or conserving the Sumatran rhino, all parties must be involved, from the Central Government to the Regional Government, Activists, NGOs, Academics to the public must participate according to their respective capacities.

Further from the scientific side, Rhino Expert of Bogor Agricultural University, Muhammad Agil, who was also a resource person for the discussion, stated that after the RAD document has been finished, it is only a matter of how we produce new rhino calves from the process of human intervention in breeding Sumatran rhinos.

He also emphasized that it should be a common concern that losing the Sumatran rhino means losing a genus, this is a very large loss. So in rhino conservation, the most important thing is that we can produce new rhino calves.

Technological approach is said to be one of the keys to breeding Sumatran rhinos, because in nature the conditions have declined for breeding, also because the number is getting less.

Lastly, the Regent of East Aceh H. Hasballah HM. Thaib who was also present at the discussion expressed his commitment to support Sumatran rhino conservation by providing 7,500 ha of land in East Aceh. He is very excited to help Sumatran rhino conservation. Because the successful development of elephant conservation sites on the land can be a medium to instill in the community the importance of preserving forests and the animals in them, as well as a medium for educating the public that Sumatran rhino poaching is illegal and there are legal consequences.

RAD will be implemented over a period of 3 years and is part of the 2018-2028 Indonesian Rhino Conservation Action Plan (SRAK) Strategy which will be prepared for the next 7 years by including habitat protection and management activities, central and regional policies, funding, development of Sumatran rhino reproductive technology.

The RAD document is a reference for the implementation of Rhino conservation programs in the regions that are prepared in a multi-stakeholder manner with partners / NGOs, the private sector and local governments. For this reason, in order to implement and achieve the objectives, the Emergency Action Plan will be immediately socialized at the Provincial, Regency / City and Community Groups adjacent to the Sumatran Rhino rescue location.

The RAD document is a reference for the implementation of the Sumatran Rhino conservation program in the region.

The purpose of this Emergency Action Plan is to save Sumatran rhinos in Sumatra (Leuser, South Barisan and Way Kambas) and in East Kalimantan (West Kutai Regency and Mahakam Ulu Regency) through efforts to merge isolated rhinos by placing them into conservation breeding facilities to increase the number of new rhino individuals which will later be released back (re-introduction) to their natural habitat when the population is viable, and the establishment and management of rhino sanctuaries in Sumatra and Kalimantan to conserve the Sumatran rhino species.

This Public Discussion with the theme "Save, Protect, Increase the Sumatran Rhino Population-Indonesia", was held in commemoration of the 2019 World Rhino Day which is celebrated every September 22.

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Further information, please contact:

- Djati Witjaksono Hadi, Head of the Public Relations Bureau of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (Phone: +62 819-7793-3330)

- Anwar Purwoto, IUCN SSC Sumatran Rhino Coordinator (Phone: +62 812-1108-654)

About Sumatran Rhino Rescue Alliance (SRRA)

SRRA is a collaboration of five of the world's leading international conservation organizations working to support the Indonesian Government's Emergency Action Plan to save the threatened Sumatran Rhino from immediate extinction by developing and implementing a conservation breeding program. The SRRA consists of Global Wildlife Conservation, the International Rhino Foundation, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the National Geographic Society, and WWF. Visit www.savesumatranrhinos.org

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