2. What do they look like?
The Javan rhino is smaller than the Indian
rhinoceros, and is close in size to the black rhino.
The body length of the Javan rhino can be up to
2-4 metres in length and 1.4-1.7 metres in height.
Adults can weigh between 900 and 2,300
kilograms. It has a single horn usually less
than20cm.It has no hair with splotchy gray or gray-
brown skin. Its floppy skin hangs over its shoulders
by the sides of its belly and its hind legs which looks
like amour.
3.
4. How many are left?
There are believed to be fewer than 50 Javan rhinos left in
the wild worldwide, and the last rhino remaining in Vietnam
was found dead in 2010 – probably the victim of poachers
who had cut off its horn.
Rhino poaching appears to be on the increase worldwide,
and Traffic, the global wildlife trade monitoring network,
said the increase in the illegal trade in rhino horns was being
caused by demands from Asian medicinal markets.
The Javan rhinoceros thus no longer exists on mainland Asia,
and is now only to be found in the westernmost parts of
Java itself.
5. Where does it live? Where can it be
found?
Javan rhinos are found only in one place in the
world it is the, Ujung Kulon national park on the
western tip of java. The animal was once
widespread from Assam and Bengal. eastward
spread Myanmar.
6. What does the rhino’s habitat look
like?
The rhino lives in dense, low land rainforests, tall
grass and reed beds that have lots of rivers, large
floodplains or wet areas with many mud wallows.
They usually like low lying areas, but in Vietnam they
have been forced to much higher ground probably
because of humans getting closer and poaching.
7. What does the rhino eat?
The Javan rhino is a herbivore which eats plants.
They eat a diverse variety of plants especially their
shoots, twigs, young foliage and fallen fruit. Most
of the plants grow in sunny areas in forest clearings.
The rhino knocks down saplings and grabs it with
its upper lip. The rhino eats an estimated 50 kg of
food daily. Like the Sumatran rhino it needs salt in
its diet.
8. How many babies does it have at a
time?
Javan rhinos have 1 baby at a time.
The gestation period is 16-19 months.
9. What are its threats?
Poaching is their biggest threat and it is not
threatened by other animals.
Loss of habitat has also contributed to the decline
of the species in the past, but is not a factor at
present since they are kept in one nationally
protected park.
10. What is their behaviour?
The Javan rhino is a solitary animal with the exception
of breeding pairs and mothers with calves.
They will sometime come together in small groups at
salt licks and mud wallows.
Wallowing in mud is a common behaviour for all rhinos.
They wallow in mud to keep cool and helps to prevent
illness and parasites.
The Javan rhino likes to use other animals mud wallows.
The Javan rhino is afraid of people and often hides in
the dense forest.
11. Are they being protected and how?
It is illegal to sell the rhino or any products made
from the rhino
They are only kept in one place at present (Ujong
Kulon National Park) and conserving them seems
unlikely because of illness and inbreeding.
12. Why do people poach rhinos?
Because the horn of any rhino is worth a lot of
money, and can be used as trophy’s. Chinese think it
is a good healing medicine and think it cures fever
and cancer.
13. Interesting facts
The Javan rhino has a life span of around 37-45
years
It weighs 900 – 2300kg’s
It has a horn 10 inches long (this is only for the
males; female rhino have little or no horn)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FMx23g60YI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHqhzxF2pRM&fea
14. Bibliography
Information obtained from the following websites:
Wikipedia
BBCNews
Google maps
Google images
