Javan Rhino
Facts
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CR
Status
Critically Endangered
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a
Population
58–68
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b
Scientific Name
Rhinoceros sondaicus
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c
Height
4.6–5.8 feet
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d
Weight
1,984 - 5,071 pounds
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C
Length
10–10.5 feet
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e
Habitats
Tropical forests

Population distribution of the Javan Rhino (Click for larger view)
Javan rhinos are the most threatened of the five rhino species, with only 58-68 individuals that live only in Ujung Kulon National Park in Java, Indonesia. Javan rhinos once lived throughout northeast India and Southeast Asia. Vietnam’s last Javan rhino was poached in 2010.
This species is a dusky grey color and has a single horn of up to about 10 inches. Its skin has a number of loose folds, giving the appearance of armor plating. The Javan rhino is very similar in appearance to the closely-related greater one-horned rhinoceros, but has a much smaller head and less apparent skin folds.
- Habitats
Rhinos around the world
2019 has been a year of both wins and losses for rhinos. Though still facing threats like poaching and habitat loss, the global rhino population has increased by 30 percent over the past decade.

Why They Matter
Threats
- Population 58–68
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Extinction Risk Critically Endangered
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EX
Extinct
No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died
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EW
Extinct in the Wild
Known only to survive in cultivation, in captivity or as a naturalised population
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CR
Critically Endangered
Facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the Wild
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EN
Endangered
Facing a high risk of extinction in the Wild
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VU
Vulnerable
Facing a high risk of extinction in the Wild
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NT
Near Threatened
Likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future
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LC
Least Concern
Does not qualify for Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, or Near Threatened
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EX
Javan rhinos are found in only one protected area in the world. The biology of the species is poorly understood, but we are starting to learn more about the species ecology and behavior thanks to very intensive monitoring of the population. They are extremely vulnerable to extinction due to natural catastrophes, habitat loss, diseases, poaching, and potential inbreeding.
Illegal Wildlife Trade
Javan rhinos were killed by trophy hunters during colonial times. They were also killed as agricultural pests and for their horn, a highly prized commodity in traditional Asian medicine. Poaching remains an ever-present threat.
Reduced Genetic Diversity
The small size of the Javan rhino population is a cause for concern. Low genetic diversity and inbreeding could make it difficult for the long-term survival of the species.
Natural Disasters
The coastal Ujung Kulon National Park is highly vulnerable to tsunamis, and a major explosion of the nearby Anak Krakatau volcano could easily wipe out most life in the protected area. Rising sea levels because of climate change also threaten the park.
Arenga Palm
The Arenga palm has overtaken parts of the park, reducing natural forage and habitat quality.
Disease
In recent years four rhinos, including one young adult female, are thought to have died from disease, probably transmitted to wild cattle in the park and subsequently to the rhinos.
Habitat Degradation
People living near the park are encroaching on and degrading crucial rhino habitat. Important economic development near the park, including from (eco)tourism, risks further encroachment into the park.
What WWF Is Doing

Reinvigorating Existing Habitat
The rhino’s current range within Ujung Kulon National Park is believed to have reached its carrying capacity—the maximum number of rhinos the habitat can support before the growth rate slows. To increase the size and quality of the habitat and ensure a growing population, WWF plans to remove the Arenga palm tree, which has squeezed out the rhino’s native food plants in 6,178 acres of former habitat within the park. Extraction of the palm within the park would be followed by active restoration of other natural vegetation and food plants for rhinos over the next five years.
Establishing a Second Population
To reduce the likelihood of extinction in the event of a major natural disaster in Ujung Kulon National Park, WWF and partners are working to establish a second population of Javan rhinos. We’ve identified a potential site for the second population. Next steps include conducting a feasibility study of the area, setting up protected area management systems, and working with communities in the buffer-zone to prevent encroachment. WWF will also support scientific research to guide these conservation and management strategies.
Protecting Rhinos from Man-made Threats
Effective protection of the world’s only remaining Javan rhino population is critical to ensuring the species’ survival. WWF will continue our support for rhino protection patrols in Ujung Kulon National Park and work with communities who live in the park’s buffer zone to eliminate human encroachment into the Javan rhino’s limited habitat and poaching.
Experts
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