Last Male Sumatran Rhino In Captivity Flown To Indonesia To Breed

The Sumatran rhino is a critically endangered species and one of the last remaining males living in a US Zoo has been flown to Indonesia in the hopes that it will mate with females on the island. It is hoped that the species will be saved if the male is successful. Harapan is an eight year old male Sumatran rhino that was born in captivity in Cincinnati and was the last Sumatran rhino living in the Western hemisphere.

Less than 100 wild Sumatran rhinos left

The world’s Sumatran rhino population has been decimated due to rampant poaching and deforestation. Conservationists estimate that there are less than 100 of the rhino species left in the wild. Harapan whose name means hope travelled for more than 16,000 kilometres in a journey that was undertaken over land, air and sea to reach his new home. Harapan will now live at the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary at the Way Kambas National Park.

Harapan has a sister whose name was Suci  who also lived at the Cincinnati Zoo. Unfortunately she died from illness in 2014. The journey undertaken by Harapan spells the end of a programme by the zoo to breed his species in captivity.

Almost poached to extinction

The Sumatran rhino is the smallest of all species of Rhino and is the only Asian rhino that possesses two horns. The horns of the rhino are valued very highly in traditional Chinese medicine which makes them very attractive to poachers. The other problem faced by the Sumatran rhino is its natural habitat in the Sumatran forests is being devastated as a result of forest fires which are being set by farmers clearing land and illegal logging.