In the last years, there is
little good news regarding the conservation of rhinos. Demand for rhinoceros
horn is increasing, especially in Asia, bringing a sharp increase in both the
price and the poaching incident. This led to a very damaging impact on the
population of rhinos in Asia and Africa
Last year the research have
confirmed the extinction of the Javan rhinoceros in Viet Nam and the Western
black rhinoceros (Western Black Rhino) in Cameroon. In 2010 and 2011, nearly
one Rhinoceros was shot daily in the southern part of Africa. Many media
reports indicate that the fight against poaching are losing, not only for the
rhinos but for Tigers, elephants, sharks and many other species that are traded
in international markets, mostly illegally. The World Conservation Union (IUCN)
estimates that up to 25% of the world's animals threatened with extinction.
However, at least for the rhinos,
the new hope for the conservation of this species emerges from the most
unexpected sources. Indonesia, which is home of the Javan rhinoceros
(Rhinoceros sondaicus sondaicus) and the Sumatran Rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus
sumatrensis) is a highly endangered species, recently made headlines with the
good news that is rarely heard.
New initiatives for conservation
can help rhinos in Indonesia for regardless of bad luck. Terry Sunderland
In June, the fourth Sumatran
Rhinoceros born in captivity at the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary in Lampung, South
Sumatra. Recently, camera traps have captured an image of up to seven male
rhinos in Leuser forest in Aceh province in Northern Sumatra. This is the first
recorded shooting results from the rhinoceros sub-populations for over 26
years. Although things had looked like a simple success when compared to the
thousands of reports of organized poaching and extinction, local reports
indicated that the conservation is not completely lost in this fight. At least,
not yet fully defeated.
Put Indonesia in garda leading in
the conservation of rhinos, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono recently
announced on 5 June 2012 as the beginning of the Year the International Rhino.
The groundbreaking took place at the request of IUCN with the expectation to
generate actions to protect the rhinos and the Sumatran in the long run and
also encourage the conservation of rhinos in other countries, either in Asia or
Africa.
This gives the groundbreaking
political faith has prompted several organizations because of the severe impact
of the poaching of rhinoceros for its horn to supply a market that is
constantly evolving, which is reportedly run by the organized criminal
syndicates. High level of initiative from a Government that has never happened
before in international conservation and was well received by many groups such
as WWF, IUCN and the Convention on international trade in Endangered Species
For (CITES).
The challenge now is to maintain
the momentum. The Javan rhino, which is estimated at about 45-50 tail, isolated
in one of the last remaining natural forest in West Java, namely in the Ujung
Kulon National Park. Sumatran Rhinoceros in fact are in a State which is more
menghawatirkan, with a total population of about 150 in four national parks is
a very different case in Sumatra, with varying levels of protection is
effective, and all under the urging of plantation. Therefore, the President of
Indonesia has set up a task force composed of national and international
experts to deal with the protection and management of this last rhinoceros
populations.
Of course, there are those who
criticize the conservation of a species, and many say that, with limited
resources, the ecosystem approach to conservation that is far more thorough
would be more effective. Protect habitat means protecting species in it. Of
course the various approaches of conservation still must take into account the
growing population and their well-being as well as reasonable economic
development desire.
Javan rhinos in Ujung Kulon National
Park. A. Hoogerwerf/The Rhino Resource Center.
However, the design of
conservation, both at the level of species and ecosystems, with the development
needs of the local population and the economic interests of the Government and
multi-national corporations are subjected to during this difficult to achieve.
Other parties may be said that, after the existence of various investments and
statements of intention, we actually have not yet found the right way to
combine the two.
The World Conservation Congress
(World Conservation Congress) next to be held in Jeju, Korea in early September
of 2012 will be able to reassess what needs to be done to preserve the world's
biodiversity that still exists and that
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