Javan rhinoceros  (Rhinoceros sondaicus)

The devastating decline the Javan rhinocerous has been largely attributed to hunting for its horn, and for other body parts which are used in traditional Chinese medicine (6). In addition, habitat loss resulting from logging activities and development has impacted the species, and the two critically small populations are also exceptionally vulnerable to disease and natural disasters, both of which could wipe out an entire population (6).

In Indonesia, the Javan rhino has been legally protected since 1931, and Ujung Kulon National Park was set aside for the conservation of this species. The protected area in which the Vietnamese Javan rhinoceros occurs, (previously known as the Cat Loc Nature Reserve), was, for many years, ineffectively protected (6), but since the Cat Loc area was integrated into the Cat Tien National Park in 1998, more forest guards have been deployed, and the conservation organisation WWF has been supporting these teams with better equipment and allowances (7). In 1998, WWF also launched the Asian Rhino and Elephant Action Strategy (AREAS), which specifically tackles the issue of habitat loss (7). A Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan for Asian rhinos, published in 1997 by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) Asian Rhino Specialist Group, suggests that the possibility of moving some of the rhinos into another area should be looked into (6). This would help lessen the chance of disease or a natural disaster affecting all individuals simultaneously. The action plan also suggests that bringing some of the rhinos into a managed, breeding sanctuary should be considered (6). With so few Javan rhinoceros remaining however, some conservationists are worried that these measures may be too late to save this rare species, teetering on the brink of extinction.