Way Kambas breeding program for Sumatran rhinos launched

Text and photo by Mulkan Salmona

WAY KAMBAS, Lampung (JP): There are many endangered species in Indonesia badly in need of protection. One of them is the Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis). Ten years ago, these rhinos numbered about 500, but today, there is only about half of that amount.

A breeding program was launched recently in Way Kambas National Park, Lampung, in an effort to save the rhinos from extinction.

"If the Sumatran rhinoceros breeding program is successful, there will be a significant increase in their population and the world will be surprised," head of the Foundation of Indonesian Nature Conservation, Prof. Rubini Atmawidjaja, said after launching the program on March 29.

"Until today, there has not been a breeding system which has been successful in increasing the rhino population. What's happening is, the numbers are not increasing but decreasing," said Rubini, a former director general of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation (PHPA).

The same view was made by PHPA's current director general, Soemarsono, in his speech at the inauguration.

"It's the first time for Indonesia to conduct such a program to preserve the rhinoceroses. In 1985, a breeding program was started in a number of zoos in cooperation with the Howletts foundation in England and the American Zoo Foundation, but it failed," he said.

Eleven of 18 Sumatran rhinos which were sent to zoos for the breeding program died. Four died in an American zoo, one died in Malaka zoo in Malaysia, one in Ragunan Zoo, Jakarta, two in Surabaya Zoo, one in the Indonesian Safari Park, West Java, and two in Howletts Zoo. Causes of deaths were: digestion problems, kidney problems and bleeding due to violence copulation.

Being aware of the problems, the parties concerned with rhinoceros conservation, like PHPA, Indonesian Safari Park, International Rhino Foundation and the Foundation of the Friends of Rhinos, initiated the breeding program in Way Kambas National Park. Here, they will breed the rhinos in their natural habitat, which they have called the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary.

The sanctuary is located in a 100-hectare area of the park. The rhinos will be divided into 10 "nature cages" measuring 10 hectares each. One "cage" is for one rhino. Once in six months, the rhino will be moved to another cage. A regreening program will be applied to the unoccupied cages to minimize the impact of the environmental destruction caused by the rhino's activities.

Fences

Electric fences are being built in the sanctuary as cage borders, so that the rhinos won't be able to get out and to prevent rhinos from entering each others cages. The installment of the 170-centimeter-high, 7,000-volt fences is scheduled to be completed by July, so that the breeding program can start.

Once the fences have been installed, two rhinos from the Safari Park and a female rhino from Ragunan Zoo will be sent to the sanctuary. One male rhino from Howletts Zoo will join them soon. During the next year, one male rhino and two female Sumatran rhinos from America will be sent there. It is expected that the seven rhinos in the sanctuary will reproduce naturally because they get their food naturally and they behave naturally.

There is also a plan to make the sanctuary more than just a breeding center of Sumatran rhinos. It will be made into a tourism destination. The sanctuary's management will develop a tourist resort in Way Kanan, located about five kilometers from the breeding center. The river near Way Kanan has clear water and will be able to be used for cruises.

The rhino sanctuary management is aware that it is not easy to administer ecotourism. This should be handled in cooperation with experienced people and experts. Hopefully, all the good plans will work.