Wild palm threatens rhinos' natural feed

Wild palm threatens rhinos' natural feed

The Jakarta Post, Ujung Kulon, Banten

The Javan rhino (Rhinoceros sundaicus) is one of the world's
most endangered mammals.

Rhinos elsewhere in the world are declining in number due,
among other things, to poaching. Their horns and body parts are
in high demand. They are caught with booby traps or shot.

In the past, the single horn Javan rhino was found right
throughout Southeast Asia, including in Myanmar, Thailand, the
Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Java. Today, however, the small
population that remains is concentrated on the western tip of
Java, in the Ujung Kulon National Park.

Less than 10 Javan rhinos also inhabit the Cat Tien National
Park in Vietnam.

Around 50-60 Javanese rhinos still survive in Ujung Kulon,
the final sanctuary for these thick skinned animals. The
government and non-governmental organizations have been doing
everything within their powers to save them from extinction.

The Yayasan Mitra Rhino foundation, for instance, is
conducting an analysis of vegetation and calculating the rhinos'
feed potential in the park.

"The supporting capacity of the Javan rhinos' habitat in Ujung
Kulon can still last for another 10 years if the amount of
vegetation increases," said Sectionov, the foundation's program
director.

"Some 183 types of plant and shrub which rhinos feed on have
been discovered in the park's wilderness," he added. Among them
are Sulangkar (Leea sambucina), Tepus (Amothum coccineum),
Songgom (Barringtonia gagantoscachua) and Segel (Dillenia
excelsa).

One plant of the palm family which rhinos don't like, called
Langkap (Arenga obtusifolia), and mostly found in low-lying
forests, is becoming widespread and thought to be hampering the
growth of other vegetation. "Langkap is spread evenly over Ujung
Kulon," said Sectionov.

According to him, the plant grows very quickly and virtually
everywhere. It has wide top crowns that partly shield the forest
floor from sun light, and reproduces by means of seeds. "Without
effective control, Ujung Kulon will be blanketed by its dense
foliage," he said.

Furthermore, of all the various types of vegetation consumed
by Javan rhinos the most popular are small trees, growing up to
2.5 m in height, whereas Langkap can grow as tall as a palm tree.
It retards the growth of other vegetation favored by the rhinos.

He drew attention to the lack of efforts to control the plant,
whose leaves resemble those of coconut trees. Felling has proven
ineffective because of its rapid growth and proliferation. Its
fruit also becomes a source of food for other animals such as
birds and squirrels, who help spread the plant's seeds, in
addition to being blown by the wind.

On the other hand, Langkap also performs the ecological
function of providing shelter for wildlife, including Javan
rhinos, which shun direct sun light. The other benefits of this
plant, such as its medicinal properties, remain relatively
unknown.

The foundation surveys meanwhile have revealed that wild bulls
(Bos Javanicus) in the same park do not consume Langkap either.
"Over 100 kinds of vegetation eaten by rhinos are also shared by
the bulls," said Sectionov, who began the study in January 2001
and will complete it in March 2002 in cooperation with the
national park office and the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF)
- Indonesia.

The increasing bull population in the 120,551 hectare park
gives rise to food rivalry between both species. At present,
there are an estimated 800 wild bulls roaming the park's deep
forests, even extending as far as areas of Javan rhino
concentration.

Sectionov, an alumnus of Bogor's Institute of Agriculture,
pointed out that the contest for food between the two herbivores
could be anticipated by creating new grazing areas.

"The presence of grassy plains can attract bulls that have
been forced to feed on forest plants," added Sectionov, who
earlier researched the behavior of bulls in Cikepuh, Sukabumi in
West Java.

Ujung Kulon now has about seven such fields for bull grazing,
including those in Cidaun, Cibunas and Nyiur. The rising number
of bulls is also due to the few predators that prey on them.
Javanese tigers previously inhabiting Ujung Kulon's forests, for
example, are no longer found.

--Bambang Parlupi