Rhinoceros sondaicus (Desmarest, 1822)
THREATS
The major threat to the Javan Rhino is poaching. Derivatives from all parts of the rhinoceros's body, especially the horn, are used in traditional Asian medicines.5 In South Korea, the horn is used primarily for the treatment of a variety of ailments ranging from epilepsy, fevers, strokes and even AIDS.1,3 A reputable Taiwanese doctor recently argued that rhino horn was irreplaceable in medicine, a statement that was supported by a survey of medical practitioners; 60% stocked rhino horn whilst 27% maintained that it was essential to their work.8 Asian Rhino horn is believed to be more medicinally effective than African horn; despite the high demand for rhino horn, there are no firm records of Javan Rhinos being poached since 1988.14,23 A major threat to African Rhinos is the use of horn for handles of ceremonial daggers in Yemen.
Within Vietnam, many of the Stieng and Chauma tribal people who inhabit the area where rhinos occur, carry guns and hunt big game for meat. Due to the high price paid for rhino horn, the Javan Rhino in Vietnam is worth more dead than alive to traders in Ho Chi Minh City. Therefore poaching remains a potential threat to this population.13 In 1994, a kilogram of rhino horn was worth approximately US $60,000 in the Far East, the major consumers being China, Yemen, Taiwan and South Korea.8,15 Research at the US National Fish and Wildlife Forensic Laboratory recently produced preliminary results identifying a unique pattern for keratin protein found in rhino horn. This may enable the identification of the presence of rhino products in Oriental medicines. The process is currently undergoing refinement.28
A further threat to the Javan Rhinoceros is the increased demand for land caused by the rising human population. Commercial logging in Vietnam is a direct threat to the Javan Rhinoceros, but this process is brought under control through the creation of protected areas.
The small size of the Javan Rhino population of Lam Dong province may lead to a loss of genetic diversity through random losses of rare genes, and increased levels of inbreeding. Without genetic variation the population may not be able to adapt to the changing environmental conditions.13 The death of 5 rhinos in Ujung Kulon National Park during 1981/82 as a result of a viral infection, emphasised the vulnerability of small rhino populations to disease and natural disaster.5 A similar epidemic amongst the population of Javan Rhinos could seriously threaten the status of the species.3 However, studies with the closely related Great Indian Rhino have demonstrated that populations have an unusually high level of genetic variation; and fears about the genetic fitness of small populations of this species appear unfounded.24 It is possible that this is also true for the Javan Rhino.
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