Indonesia’s critically endangered Javan rhinos appear to be safe despite an ongoing eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau near their last remaining habitat, conservation authorities said. Ardi Andono, head of Ujung Kulon National Park, home to the world’s only wild population of Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus), said on Sep. 7 that the rhinos’ habitat had been minimally affected by vibrations and noises from Anak Krakatau, which began erupting on Sep. 4. Mount Anak Krakatau, an active volcanic island in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, lies about 50 kilometers (31 miles) from the park on Java’s southwestern tip, and its recent eruption sent ash across parts of both islands, disrupting air travel and prompting some schools and fishing activities to halt. “The Javan rhinos remained safe and still appear normal,” Ardi told Mongabay in a WhatsApp message, adding that his park rangers continue to stand on guard. A female calf of the Javan rhinoceros with her mother. Image courtesy of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry. The number of Javan rhinos remaining in the wild is disputed. Save the Rhino, a conservation group, estimates there are about 50, while Indonesia’s forestry ministry puts the population at 87 to 100. The government’s figures have previously faced scrutiny after a 2023 investigation by Indonesian environmental group Auriga Nusantara found that rhinos not seen by camera traps for years, including some later confirmed dead, were still included in official counts. The discrepancy is significant because the species is confined to Ujung Kulon National…This article was originally published on Mongabay

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