Javan rhinoceros

The rarest and most threatened of five extant rhinoceroses’ species

Tobias Nowlan

Javan rhinoceros has a dusky grey hairless skin with several loose folds that looks like armor plating. Their horn is shorter than other rhinos, averagely shorter than 25cm (10 inches). Only males possess a horn, whereas females lack a horn. Their appearance resembles Indian rhinoceros but is noticeably smaller with less apparent skin folds.

They once lived in Southeast Asia and northeast India. Unfortunately, all Javan rhinoceros currently live in Ujung Kulon National Park in Indonesia. The last individual in Vietnam was poached in 2010, as they are primarily hunted for their horns. Sadly, if Indonesia’s population is lost, the species will be extinct.

Distribution

Country
Population est.
Status
Year
Comments
Bangladesh
Official estimate
EX
Extinct 20th century
Cambodia
Official estimate
EX
Extinct 2010
China
Official estimate
EX
Extinct 20,000 years ago
India
Official estimate
EX
Extinct 20th century
Indonesia
76
Official estimate
CR
2019
Laos
Official estimate
EX
Extinct locally
Malaysia
Official estimate
EX
Last hunted 1932
Myanmar
Official estimate
EX
Last record 1920
Thailand
Official estimate
EX
Extinct locally
Vietnam
Official estimate
EX
Last hunted 2010

Recent updates

Jan 2023: Indonesia’s Ministry of Environment and Forestry updated on the arrival of two new Javan rhino calves!

Did you know?

  • They are the smallest of the living rhinoceros species and are also known as the Sunda rhinoceros.
  • Javan rhinos are known for their distinctive prehensile lip, which allows them to grasp and pull leaves and twigs from trees.
  • Despite their massive size, Javan rhinos are excellent swimmers and can cross deep rivers and swim long distances to reach new habitats.
  • Javan rhinos have poor eyesight, but a strong sense of smell and hearing, which they use to navigate their environment and avoid predators.

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Terrestrial / Aquatic

Altricial / Precocial

Polygamous / Monogamous

Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic

Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal

Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Herd

Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore

Migratory: Yes / No

Domesticated: Yes / No

Dangerous: Yes / No