Enviro News Asia, Jakarta – The Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia, together with national and international conservation partners, commemorated the 15th World Rhino Day in Jakarta on Tuesday (September 22, 2025). The event reaffirmed Indonesia’s commitment to conserving the country’s two remaining rhino species: the Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus) and the Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis), both listed as Critically Endangered.
Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni emphasized that only through multi-stakeholder collaboration can the challenges of rhino conservation be overcome.
“What we can do is work seriously with all parties, ensuring to the maximum extent that rhinos remain with us as long as the world exists,” Minister Raja Juli Antoni stated in the ministry’s official release.
According to the minister, rhino conservation is not merely about saving wildlife but also about preserving ecosystems, genetic diversity, and national dignity.
Currently, the Javan rhino population is estimated at only 87–100 individuals, confined to Ujung Kulon National Park. Meanwhile, fewer than 100 Sumatran rhinos remain, scattered in small population pockets across Sumatra and Kalimantan.
Director General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation (KSDAE), Prof. Satyawan Pudyatmoko, outlined ongoing and planned conservation agendas, including:
- Semi in-situ breeding of Sumatran rhinos at the Rhino Sanctuary in Way Kambas National Park;
- Development of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) and biobank initiatives with IPB University, YABI, and international partners;
- Strengthening of Rhino Protection Units (RPUs) for patrols, monitoring, law enforcement, and community outreach;
- The “Operasi Merah Putih” program for Javan rhino translocation in Ujung Kulon National Park;
- Rescue of the Sumatran rhino “Pari” at the Kelian Sanctuary in East Kalimantan, along with the operationalization plan for the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary in East Aceh;
- Application of conservation technologies such as camera traps, drones, environmental DNA analysis, and K-9 units; and
- Public education and outreach on the importance of rhino conservation.
As a symbol of global support, the International Rhino Foundation (IRF) presented the Government of Indonesia with a bronze statue of a Javan rhino weighing over one ton, created by world-renowned artists Gillie and Marc.
The Minister called on all stakeholders to strengthen cross-sector collaboration and increase investment in conservation through state budgets, corporate social responsibility (CSR), the Indonesia Biodiversity Fund (I Bio Fund), and international support.
The commemoration of World Rhino Day also served as a momentum to unify efforts in ensuring that rhinos, Indonesia’s iconic species, continue to live and thrive. (*)
