Baby Boom for World’s Rarest Rhinos
According to the BBC, scientists have found indications that four new Javan rhinos were born recently in Indonesia. The discovery in Java's Ujong Kulon National Park has raised hopes for the survival of the rarest of the rhino species and one of the rarest mammals in the world.
Park officials were first alerted to the new-born rhinos by tracks made by a mother and calf - a set of small footprints alongside larger ones. In the following days, they found two more such tracks - too far away from each other to be made by the same family. Then, in another location, they spotted a fourth calf alongside its mother.
A WWF manager at the park described it as a remarkable achievement for conservation.
Since 1970 the world's rhino population has declined by 90 percent (WWF). Poaching and habitat loss has reduced the total world rhino population to under 18,000 individuals today. According to the AfRSG & the IUCN, there are currently roughly 60 Javan rhinos.

Jin Yanni

(resource:
article, photo2: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5305906.stm
photo1: http://www.1770.co.uk/rhinoclimb/index.html)