Enviro News Asia, Banten — Conservation efforts for the Javan Rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus) have shown renewed progress following the successful recording of a mother and her calf in Ujung Kulon National Park, Banten. The sighting was captured through camera trap monitoring conducted by the Red and White Operation Monitoring and Evacuation Team for Javan Rhino Translocation.
The footage was recorded in the Cigenter Block of Ujung Kulon National Park on January 29, 2026, at 10:17 p.m. local time. This marks the first documented recording of a Javan Rhino calf in 2026 and strengthens optimism regarding the species’ survival in its natural habitat.
Director General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation (KSDAE), Satyawan Pudyatmoko, stated that the discovery serves as a key indicator of successful habitat management and protection measures within the park.
“The recording of a Javan Rhino mother and calf through camera traps confirms that the habitat in Ujung Kulon National Park remains well preserved. Strong and consistent area security, combined with collaboration among stakeholders, has enabled the species to reproduce naturally,” Satyawan said on Wednesday, February 4.
Preliminary analysis by the monitoring team identified the adult rhino as “ARUM,” an individual previously registered in the park’s monitoring system. The calf represents a newly identified individual, estimated to be less than five months old.
The Ministry of Forestry, through the Ujung Kulon National Park Authority, will continue intensive monitoring of the mother and calf, as well as the entire Javan Rhino population in the area. The efforts include strengthened patrols, technology-based monitoring, habitat management, and enhanced cooperation with conservation partners, non-governmental organizations, law enforcement agencies, local governments, and surrounding communities.
Satyawan emphasized that the government calls on all stakeholders to continue supporting Javan Rhino conservation efforts, noting that the species is among the rarest large mammals in the world and a national symbol of Indonesia’s biodiversity, whose survival must be safeguarded for future generations. (*)
