Harapan was sent to Indonesia in 2015 to help contribute to the survival of his endangered species
A male Sumatran rhino cub was born on Saturday in Indonesia!
The newborn was given to Harapan, born at the Cincinnati Zoo, who was sent to Indonesia in 2015 to help his endangered species survive. Harapan was only the third Sumatran rhino born at the zoo and served as the last ambassador of his species to the Western Hemisphere before his departure.
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dr. Terri Roth, director of the Cincinnati Zoo’s Center for Conservation and Research on Endangered Wildlife (CREW), said in a statement that “it has been a long, arduous journey for everyone involved, and not without risk.”
“Although it took several years before Harapan achieved what it was sent to do, this birth of its first cub at the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary (SRS) confirms that we made the right decision. Our effort and sacrifice was worth it, and the ultimate goal has been achieved,” Roth added.
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delilah
Courtesy of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry of Indonesia
The Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary is located in Way Kambas National Park in Lampung Province. According to a press release from the International Rhino Foundation, the newborn is the second Sumatran rhino born at the facility this year and is Harapan’s first offspring.
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His mother, Delilah, is also a first-time parent and was the second cub ever born at the sanctuary in 2016. Along with the newborn, there are now 10 Sumatran rhinos living at the facility.
“The Sumatran rhino breeding program has never been in a better position,” Nina Fascione, executive director of the International Rhino Foundation, said in a statement. “Two years ago, there was only one captive pair of Sumatran rhinos in the world that could successfully produce offspring. Now there are three pairs – six rhinos – that are proven to breed. That’s a much better prospect for the long-term survival of this species.”
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“Delilah brought that calf into the world and started nursing it without fuss or fanfare,” Fascione explained. She emphasized that the birth of the calf is “an incredible event that gives hope for the future of this critically endangered species.”
According to the World Wide Fund for Nature, the Sumatran rhino is critically endangered with a population of less than 50.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education