Indonesia welcomes birth of critically endangered Sumatran rhino

A critically endangered Sumatran rhino was born in Indonesia on November 25.

A female rhino named Delilah gave birth to a 25-kilogram male calf at a sanctuary for Sumatran rhinos in Way Kambas National Park.

“This birth is also the birth of the second Sumatran rhino in 2023. It emphasises the government commitment ... on the rhino conservation efforts in Indonesia, especially the Sumatran rhino,” Indonesian Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar said.

Veterinarian Zulfi Arsan tends to a newly born Sumatran rhino calf at Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary at Way Kambas National Park, Indonesia. Photo: AP

The Sumatran rhino is protected by law in Indonesia. They are listed as critically endangered: only about 30 mature animals remain, with several in captivity.

The Sumatran rhinos are threatened by the destruction of their tropical forest habitat, and they are often killed for their horns, which are prized for making ornaments and traditional medicine in China and other parts of Asia.