Why is javan rhinoceros endangered
The visual marks made by the Sumatran rhinos in the form of twisted saplings are also unknown in Javan rhinos Sounds and calls: Javan rhinos are not very vocal, much less than Sumatran rhinos, and only a few vocalisations have been recorded. As with other rhino species, indirect communication through dung, urine and scrapes scented with the secretions of the foot glands play a more prominent role Gestation period: the gestation period is estimated to be between 16 and 19 months Location and habitat Current range: the Javan rhino exists in a single population in Ujung Kulon peninsular, western Java, Indonesia.
Here the rhino population has recovered quite well from fewer than 30 individuals in to between 50 and 60 in Since then the population has been stagnant or even slowly declining. The current estimate is between 65 and 68 animals Historical range: Javan rhinos were once rather common over a large part of Southeast Asia, from near Calcutta in India, throughout Bangladesh, southern China, Laos, Vietnam Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, the Large island of Sumatra, and the western half of Java.
About 12, years ago they also occurred in Borneo and till about 2, years ago through large parts of China Habitat: Javan rhinos used to live in a variety of tropical landscapes, both lowland and highland, from the mangroves of the Sunderbans in India and Bangladesh, the mountains of southern China, to the sub-montane shrubs on the highest volcanoes of Java. The rhinos eat mostly leaves, young shoots and twigs. Most of the plants eaten by rhinos grow in unshaded locations, in vegetation without tall trees, gaps created by fallen trees, and shrubland without trees.
These unshaded places have a better average quality of food plants. Javan rhinos rarely feed in vegetation types where the quantity of available food is low Forest: in spite of their preference for feeding in vegetation types without tall trees, Javan rhinos are probably dependent upon the occurrence of forest in their environment.
Forest provides protection against solar radiation, water supply is subject to smaller fluctuations inside forest than outside, and forest trees are the source of many saplings eaten by rhinos. The optimal habitat of the Javan rhino, with regard to vegetation types, therefore appears to be a mosaic of glades interspersed with patches of forest.
This kind of habitat is widely distributed in Ujung Kulon Mud wallows: Javan rhinos spend a large part of the day wallowing in mud holes. They may use temporary pools and puddles, which they deepen with the feet and horn. The access to mud wallows is essential for thermo-regulation, skin condition and to get rid of ectoparasites parasites that live on the surface of their host and biting insects Salt licks: salt licks, which are so dominant in the ecology of the Sumatran rhino, are unknown in Ujung Kulon, but occasionally Javan rhinos are known to drink seawater.
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How can You Help? Website Terms and Conditions Privacy Policy. This combined with degraded and lost habitat, has left the Javan rhino Critically Endangered with less than individuals left in the wild. There are only two other species in the Rhinoceros genus, which the Javan rhino is a part of — and only five extant species in the Rhinoceros family. Rhinos, along with equids and tapirs, are the only surviving members of an ancient and formerly diverse group of ungulates, which originated around 50 million years ago.
Although these populations are now protected in national parks, they remain at risk from poaching, and the small population sizes mean that they are extremely vulnerable to disease and natural disasters. Formerly widespread in south-east Asia, they are now confined to two widely separate locations. The Java Rhinoceros only has a single horn which is also the smallest of horns for all species of rhinoceros, it is often less than 20 centimetres in length.
The Javan rhinoceros is a herbivore, eating a wide range of plant species, shoots, twigs and fallen fruit. A majority of the favoured foods grow in sunny areas in clearings or areas with no large trees.
The Javan rhino mainly inhabits dense, lowland rain forests, grasslands, and reed beds with abundant rivers, large floodplains, or wet areas with many mud wallows.
The Javan rhino faces numerous threats, with one of the main being the small population that remains as this could cause problems in the recovery of the species. Due to only being found in one location the species also faces the real risk of being wiped out through a single natural disaster like a tsunami. The Save the Rhino organisation focuses on working with all rhino species in the world. A part of this is dedication to help the Javan Rhinoceros in its fight against extinction. The wonderful folk at Save the Rhino achieve this through raising funds, awareness and helping increase the technologies used in the fight.