Kupastuntas.co, East Lampung - A female Sumatran Rhino calf (Dicerorhinus Sumatrensis) was born in the Sumatran Rhino Reserve (SRS) Way Kambas National Park (TNWK), East Lampung, Saturday (30/9/2023).

The rhino calf was born to the rhino pair Ratu and Andalas. Currently the rhino calf is still under the supervision of a team of doctors. SRS TNWK management is also still sterilizing the cage where the baby rhino is born.

Public Relations of the TNWK Center, Sukatmoko, said that his party and the medical team are still monitoring newborn rhino calves via closed circuit television (CCTV).

"The cage where the baby rhino is born is still being sterilized, not everyone is allowed to enter the rhino breeding location. Only doctors who handle the birth of baby rhinos can enter," said Sukatmoko, Sunday (1/10/2023).

Sukatmoko revealed that the mother rhino, Ratu, who is now 23 years old, has given birth to three rhino calves while living at SRS TNWK.

"So the Queen Rhinoceros has given birth to three rhinoceros calves. Currently in SRS there are 9 Sumatran rhinos consisting of 3 males and 6 females," he explained.

Sukatmoko explained that monitoring of children's bodies is carried out 24 hours. "Monitoring of the Ratu rhino and its calf was carried out via CCTV for 24 hours until they were declared to be in a healthy condition. Until now, the mother and calf are still in good health," he said.

For your information, the first rhino calf born to the Badak Ratu mother in 2012 was named Andatu.

Then, the second rhino calf was born in 2016, female, named Delillah. Finally, the child of the Badak Ratu was born again as a female and has not yet been given a name.

Previously, the Minister of Environment and Forestry (KLHK), Siti Nurbaya also appreciated the birth of a baby Sumatran Rhino at TNWK.

“This news is certainly happy news, not only for the Indonesian people but also the world. I give my highest appreciation to the parties involved in the birth of the Sumatran Rhino. "Hopefully, we can continue to receive happy news from the births of Sumatran rhinos and other protected animals in the future," said Siti Nurbaya in a written statement, on Saturday (30/9/2023).

Siti said that the birth of this rhino calf proves the government's commitment to carrying out rhino conservation efforts in Indonesia, especially the Sumatran Rhino. With the birth of a rhinoceros calf from the Rhino Queen's mother, this increases the number of rhinos in the SRS TNWK to nine.

Apart from the Ratu rhino, the other rhinos currently occupying the SRS TNWK are Bina, Rosa, Delilah and Sedah Mirah. And there are three male rhinos, namely Andalas, Harapan, and Andatu.

"From the semi-natural breeding efforts currently being carried out, SRS TNWK has succeeded in producing four Sumatran rhino calves, namely Andatu (2012), Delilah (2016), Sedah Mirah (2022), and the third child from Ratu-Andalas (2023). he explained.

Director General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation (KSDAE) KLHK, Satyawan Pudyatmoko added, SRS TNWK in Way Kambas National Park is the only semi-insitu breeding site managed by the Way Kambas National Park Center in collaboration with the Indonesian Rhino Foundation (YABI).

"The main goal is to produce Sumatran rhino calves to maintain the survival of the Sumatran rhino species which is now threatened with extinction. Sumatran rhino calves resulting from the breeding program at SRS TNWK can in future be released back into their natural habitat," he said.

Executive Director of the Indonesian Rhino Foundation (YABI), Jansen Manansang said that not only through natural reproduction efforts, technological assistance is also needed to optimize the breeding of Sumatran Rhinos.

"SRS TNWK plans to integrate the Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) method for breeding Sumatran rhinos," said Jansen.

"The breeding in Way Kambas is an effort to maintain the rhino population, especially the Sumatran species. Because the rhino population is decreasing in the wild," he said.

He continued, in the future the rhinos produced from the breeding program at SRS TNWK will still be released into the wild so that the rhino population continues to be maintained and to prevent inbreeding.

Based on Minister of Environment and Forestry Regulation No. 106 of 2018 states that the Sumatran rhino (Dicerorhinus Sumatrensis) is a protected animal in Indonesia.

The existence of the Sumatran rhino is spread across forests on Sumatra Island such as Gunung Leuser National Park, Way Kambas National Park, and Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park as well as a small part in East Kalimantan. (*)