400 in 10 localities
Until five years ago [1991], the Sumatran Rhino was believed to be extinct in Way Kambas NP. However, reports suggested that rhinos might still occur in the area. In the earliest reports, it was unclear if the species was Sumatran or Javan. However, the size of some of the tracks indicated that it was the Sumatran species. Its occurrence has now been unequivocally confirmed.
Despite great expectations and efforts, the captive breeding programme for Sumatran Rhinos, which commenced in 1984, has not been succesful. A total of 40 rhinos have been captured in three areas where independent projects have been conducted: Indonesia (in cooperation with zoological organisations from the UK and USA) Pennisula Malaysia and Sabah A major problem is belived to be the unnatural conditions which are provided by the captive programs, i.e. in terms of diet, climate (erspecially exposure to excessive sunlight and its ultraviolet component), size and complexity of enclosures, and social configuration of the rhino. As a consequence, the concept of re-orienting the captive programs into breedings centres in a native habitat was developed.
The Directorate General of Forest protection and Nature Conservation (PHPA) in Indonesia is conducting an intensive programme for in situ protection through development and deployment of anti-poaching teams. The intial, catalytic funds for this programme are being provided by a grant from the Global Environment Fund (GEF) through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). This GEF project arose out of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Conference on Financing Rhinoceros Conservation in 1992 and again in 1993. The AsRSG has facilitated the GEF Project.
