Sumatran rhinos
What is a Sumatran rhino?
Sumatran rhinos are a species of rhinoceros that are native to Southeast Asia. They are critically endangered, with only about 30 individuals left in the wild on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra.
One of three Asian rhino species, Sumatran rhinos are small with compact and hairy bodies. They have two horns on their snout and typically weigh between 500 and 800 kilograms (1,100 to 1,800 pounds). Adult males stand about 1.5 metres (5 feet) tall at the shoulder. They are dark red-brown in colour and covered with patches of short, dark, stiff hair.
They primarily inhabit dense forests, marshy areas, and regions of thick bush and bamboo. They are well-adapted to living in hilly and mountainous terrain, making them the only rhinoceros species in Asia that is found in such environments. They live in isolated pockets of Indonesia, mainly on the island of Sumatra.
Sumatran rhinos are herbivores and feed on a variety of plants, including leaves, fruit, shrubs, and bark. They are known to be selective browsers.
As solitary animals, they are not known for being aggressive and are more likely to flee from threats rather than confront them. They communicate with each other using vocalisations including whistles and chuffing sounds, and they also leave scent markings to establish territory or communicate with other rhinos.
Female Sumatran rhinos have a relatively long gestation period of around 16 months. They usually give birth to a single calf, which is cared for by the mother for a few years before it becomes independent.
Sumatran rhinos play a crucial role in their ecosystems and are vital for various reasons. By consuming fruits and leaves and then roaming to different areas, they disperse seeds and facilitate the regeneration of forests. This in turn helps maintain biodiversity and supports the overall health of the ecosystem.
As a critically endangered species, the well-being of Sumatran rhinos reflects the state of the forests in which they live. Protecting these rhinos requires conserving their habitat, which also benefits numerous other species sharing their space.
What is a Sumatran rhino’s scientific name?
The scientific name for the Sumatran rhino is Dicerorhinus sumatrensis.
Dicerorhinus is a combination of three Greek words: di, meaning ‘two’, ceros, meaning ‘horn’, and rhinos, meaning ‘nose’. Sumatrensis refers to the island of Sumatra, Indonesia.
Are Sumatran rhinos endangered?
Classed as critically endangered since 1996, there are as few as 30 mature Sumatran rhinos left in the wild.
The number of Sumatran rhinos has declined significantly across their range in the past 30 years, with populations lost in peninsular Malaysia; the state of Sabah, Malaysia; and Kerinci Seblat National Park, Indonesia. Conservation efforts are essential for the survival of this species.
Where do Sumatran rhinos live?
Sumatran rhinos primarily inhabit dense, tropical rainforests and mountainous forests in Southeast Asia—particularly in Malaysia and Indonesia.
The forests in these countries provide the ideal habitat for Sumatran rhinos, with their hilly and mountainous terrain being particularly suited to the species’ lifestyle.
Historically, Sumatran rhinos could be found all across southern Asia, including in Thailand, Myanmar, and even up to the foothills of the Himalayas in Bhutan. However, the species’ population has drastically declined; only a few dozen adults remain in the wild.
Threats
Sumatran rhinos face several critical threats to their survival, which is why conservation efforts are so crucial. Some of these dangers include:
Poaching
Sumatran rhinos are targeted by poachers for their horns and body parts, which are highly valued in traditional Asian medicine. Sumatran rhino horns are falsely believed to possess medicinal properties and are considered status symbols in some cultures, encouraging the illegal trade of rhino products on the black market.
Poaching is often driven by well-organised criminal syndicates that engage in wildlife trafficking, making its prevention difficult for law enforcement.
Habitat loss
Sumatran rhinos are also threatened by habitat loss, as their forest environments are rapidly disappearing due to various human activities.
Logging, agricultural expansion, and land conversion for plantations and urban development result in the direct destruction of their natural habitats. Climate change can also exacerbate habitat loss by altering the local climate conditions and affecting the availability of suitable food sources for rhinos.
Habitat loss has pushed this species into smaller and smaller pockets of forest. This further fragments and isolates remaining Sumatran rhino populations, making it difficult for individuals to find suitable mates while also increasing their vulnerability to poaching.
Palm oil
The expansion of palm oil plantations is not only a threat to the environment at large, but also a significant driver of habitat loss for Sumatran rhinos. The species inhabits tropical rainforests and montane moss forests, many of which have been turned into palm oil plantations.
Furthermore, the use of pesticides and herbicides in palm oil plantations can harm the rhinos and the plant species they eat.
FAQs
To learn more about these graceful giants, here are some interesting facts about Sumatran rhinos.
What do Sumatran rhinos eat?
Sumatran rhinos are herbivores that primarily feed on a varied diet of leaves, shrubs, and bark from a range of plant species. Their selective browsing behaviour helps maintain plant diversity in their habitat, making them essential for the health of the forest ecosystem.
They also eat fruits, which can include fallen fruit on the forest floor or fruit from shrubs and trees. By eating fruit and defecating in different parts of their forest habitats, Sumatran rhinos contribute to seed dispersal in their ecosystems.
What do Sumatran rhinos look like?
Sumatran rhinos are the smallest of the rhinoceros species, with a compact and relatively hairy body, which sets them apart from other rhinos.
Unlike other rhino species, which are primarily grey, Sumatran rhinos are covered in reddish brown to dark brown hair, which can be quite dense, especially in young individuals. Their hair gives them a shaggy appearance, making them easily recognisable.
Sumatran rhinos have two horns on their snout. The front horn is larger and the rear horn is typically much smaller. The larger front or anterior horn is typically 15 to 25 centimetres (6 to 10 inches) long, while the second horn is rarely longer than a few centimetres. These horns are made of keratin—similar to human hair and nails—and will regrow if broken off. However, this does not mean that demand for rhino horn isn’t dangerous; poachers kill rhinos to acquire their horns.
Sumatran rhinos also have distinctive skin folds, which circle their bodies between their legs, with lesser folds on their necks and at the base of the legs.
Their small size, shaggy appearance, and unique horn structure make Sumatran rhinos an easily distinguishable species within the rhinoceros family.
How big are Sumatran rhinos?
Adult Sumatran rhinos typically weigh between 500 and 800 kilograms (1,100 to 1,800 pounds) and stand about 1.5 metres (5 feet) tall at the shoulder. They are around 2.5 metres (8 feet) long.
How long do Sumatran rhinos live?
In the wild, Sumatran rhinos have a life expectancy of around 35 to 40 years. However, the number of threats faced by the species means many are dying at a much younger age.
How do Sumatran rhinos reproduce?
Sumatran rhinos reproduce relatively slowly and infrequently. Their slow reproductive rate, in combination with other threats such as habitat loss and poaching, contributes to their critically endangered status.
Sumatran rhinos are typically solitary animals, but male and female rhinos come together for mating. When a female is fertile, she emits specific scent markings and vocalisations to signal that she’s ready to mate. Male rhinos are attracted to these signals and engage in courtship behaviours.
After successful mating, the female rhino has a relatively long gestation period of about 16 months. This extended pregnancy period is one of the longest among terrestrial mammals.
Sumatran rhinos usually give birth to a single calf, although rare instances of twins have been recorded. The calf is born with a covering of hair and is relatively large compared to other rhino species, weighing around 25 to 30 kilograms (55 to 66 pounds).
The mother cares for her calf alone. This maternal care is extensive and can last for several years, during which time the calf learns essential skills and behaviours to survive in the wild.
How does the Sumatran rhino protect itself?
While you may think that the Sumatran rhino’s horn is used for fighting, it’s actually used to scrape mud, pull down plants and bark, and forge a path through dense vegetation. Surprisingly, the Sumatran rhino’s main natural protective feature is its thick, hairy skin, which helps keep mud caked to its body, offering protection from insects and the sun.
As typically solitary animals, Sumatran rhinos avoid socialisation and use scent marking to establish their territories. They leave dung piles and urine to signal their presence and ward off other individuals.
Why are Sumatran rhinos important?
Sumatran rhinos are vitally important for a variety of reasons, including:
- Maintaining biodiversity: Sumatran rhinos play a crucial role in maintaining the biodiversity of their forest habitats. They eat a variety of plant species, which helps control the population of certain plants and prevents any one species from dominating the ecosystem. This contributes to the overall health of the forest.
- Seed dispersal: As they consume fruits and leaves and traverse the forest, Sumatran rhinos spread seeds through their droppings. This process supports forest regeneration by carrying seeds to different areas, promoting the growth of new plants and maintaining a healthy, diverse ecosystem.
- Forest floor cleaning: With their large, powerful bodies, Sumatran rhinos help clear the forest floor as they roam. By trampling through the underbrush and disturbing the ground, they create small clearings that can be beneficial for the growth of some plant species and provide opportunities for other wildlife to access resources.
- Being an indicator species: As an indicator species, the well-being of Sumatran rhinos reflects the health of the forests in which they live. Protecting these rhinos is part of broader efforts to preserve the integrity of their ecosystems and conserve other threatened species that share their habitat.
Are Sumatran rhinos endangered?
Yes, Sumatran rhinos are critically endangered. They face a multitude of threats that have pushed their population to the brink of extinction. As few as 30 mature individuals are left in the wild. The key threats to Sumatran rhinos include:
- Poaching: Illegal hunting for their horns and body parts, driven by demand in traditional Asian medicine, poses a significant danger to their populations.
- Habitat loss: Deforestation, land conversion for agriculture, logging, and infrastructure development have led to the loss of their natural habitat, making it difficult for them to find food, shelter, and suitable mates.
- Palm oil production: The expansion of palm oil plantations in their native range further diminishes their habitat and isolates their populations.
- Habitat fragmentation: Roads, mining, and other infrastructure development fragment and isolate remaining rhino populations, increasing their vulnerability to poaching and making it harder for them to find mates.
- Low reproductive rate: Sumatran rhinos have a slow reproductive cycle, with a long gestation period and a few years of maternal care, making it challenging for their populations to recover from declines.
How are Sumatran rhinos affected by palm oil?
The expansion of palm oil plantations leads to extensive deforestation, causing the loss of Sumatran rhinos’ natural forest habitat. This habitat destruction isolates rhino populations, making it challenging for individuals to find suitable mates, and increases their vulnerability to poaching.
How many Sumatran rhinos are left?
The IUCN estimates that there are as few as 30 mature Sumatran rhinos left in the wild, a number which is decreasing.
How can you help?
There are as few as 30 mature Sumatran rhinos left in the wild. Poaching, habitat loss, and palm oil plantations are threatening their survival. Avoiding products containing palm oil is one way to help animals like Sumatran rhinos that are impacted by their production. Another way to help is by supporting conservation initiatives that protect wildlife from poaching and human encroachment.