Sarah Gaston's Essay (essay 1)

Sarah Gaston March 4, 2009 Indo 1011 The Javan Rhinoceros The Javan rhinoceros is one of the rarest animals in the world. Deforestation and poaching drive them towards extinction. Unfortunately, modernization and greed destroy many natural beauties of the world, the Javanrhinoceros being just one victim. Without significant changes in our practices, Indonesia will lose the Javan rhinoceros and the piece of their culture the animal preserves. Javan rhinoceroses look similar to some other rhinoceroses. Actually, the Javan rhinoceros looks so similar to the Indian rhinoceros that they were once thought to be the same type of rhinoceros. On average, they are three to three and a half meters long and weigh about 1500- 2000 kilograms. Featuring one horn that stems from their skulls like the Indian rhinoceros, Javan rhinoceros also have many folds in their skin. However, not all rhinoceros have this approximately 26centimeter horn; females sometimes lack a horn.

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Poachers have a specific interest in the horns of the Javan rhinoceroses, making it especially hard to prevent their hunts. The Javan rhinoceroses’ horns have a unique niche in the cultures of where they are found. “[Their horns are] valued highly for use in Oriental medicine (as a drug to reduce fever), and Yemen horns are carved to 1

http://www.animalinfo.org/species/artiperi/rhinsond.htm#picture

make traditional dagger handles.”2 As a useful and historical part of the culture in the Asian part of the world and in Yemen, the horns of the Javan rhinoceroses have put the rhinos in serious danger of extinction. Ironically, the part of the Javan rhinoceros that makes them an important component of Asian, Yemen, and Indonesian culture (the horn) is the same thing leading to their extinction. Fortunately, the Javan rhinos are afraid of humans, making it harder for poachers to find and kill them.3 Javan rhinoceroses share common behavioral patterns. Despite their large, intimidating appearance, the rhinos are vegetarians and humans are not in danger of being eaten by them. The diet of the Javan rhinoceros includes small stick, fruit found on the ground, and small plants. The rhinos are out during both the day and the night, sleeping on their own schedule. They spend most of their lives alone except for mating or mothers with their young offspring. Females have smaller territories than males.4 Also, male Javan rhinoceros tend to designate their territory with their own feces and urine and they find their mates in the bathing pools.

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The rhinos favor low, grassy rain forests. They like to be around areas abundant with mud and water, as they like to take regular baths. However, with more people living in the lowlands, many of the Javan Ibid. http://www.rhinoresourcecenter.com/species/Javan-rhino/ 4 Ibid. 5 http://www.animalinfo.org/species/artiperi/rhinsond.htm#picture 2 3

rhinoceroses in Indonesia are forced into landscapes that are more mountainous, up to elevations of 2000 feet.6 The rhinos once lived in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Malaysia, Laos, Thailand, Mynamar, China, Vietnam, and the islands of Sumatra and Java in Indonesia. Now they only live in two protected parks, one on Java in Indonesia and one in Vietnam. The Javan rhinoceroses are extraordinarily rare today. In Indonesia, the Indonesian Javan Rhinoceroses are the most abundant; “only 50 to 60 remain” but this is greater than the “5 [Vietnamese Javan Rhinoceroses] left in Cat Tien National Park” in Vietnam.7 The Indian Javan Rhinoceros no longer exists. This species is nearly extinct. A main contributor to the extinction of the Javan Rhinoceros, deforestation will continue in Indonesia as long as society continues to modernize. Fighting deforestation brings up questions of value. What ismore valuable, beautiful forests with exotic animals or economic stability? Most people want to believe they have the integrity to choose to protect nature over make money but this plan is easier to think of than to act on. For instance, in Vietnam the Javan rhinoceroses are threatened because the land they live is increasingly turning into farmland. So how do we save the Javan rhinoceros? Maybe we cannot. The loss of a precious animal is upsetting but may be inevitable without 6 7

Ibid. http://www.rhinoresourcecenter.com/species/Javan-rhino/

devoted, long-lasting efforts to protect our endangered species. Today, the economy, modernization, and long-standing beliefs interfere with the Javan rhinoceros’ survival. We cannot destroy historically grounded oriental medicine beliefs that contribute to the value of the Javan Rhinoceroses’ horns just as we cannot stop poachers from profiting from the sale of JavanRhinoceros horns. However, we can try to preserve their land. Yes, a development might be economically preferable to a rhino reserve, but which will preserve the culture of a region and the legacy of a species? If we do nothing, soon, the Javan rhinoceros will die at the fault of our greed.