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Environment: Only 60 Javan rhinos exist in the wild!

JAKARTA: Environment Ministry here has revealed that a Javan rhino has died bringing the critically endangered mammals closer to extinction with just 60 believed to be still living in the wild.

The body of the male rhino was found inside West Java’s Ujung Kulon national park, the creature’s last remaining habitat. Its death was believed to be from old age rather than poaching.

The animal has been driven to the brink of extinction as their horns are highly valued in traditional Chinese and Korean medicine, although most countries in the region have banned the trade.

“We found it on (Monday) and are now performing an autopsy,” said environment ministry spokesman Djati Witjaksono Hadi. The 40-year-old rhino didn’t had any offspring, he added.

Javan and Sumatran rhinos are classified as “critically endangered” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The Javan rhino is distinguished from African rhinos by its smaller size, single horn and loose skin folds which give it the appearance of wearing armor plating.

M M Alam

M. M. Alam is a Pakistan-based working journalist since 1981. Karachi University faculty gold medalist Alam began his career four decades ago by writing for Dawn, Pakistan’s highest circulating English daily. He has worked for region’s leading publications, global aviation periodicals including Rotors (of USA) and vetted New York Times as permanent employee of daily Express Tribune. Alam regularly covers international aviation and defense-related events including Salon Du Bourget (France), Farnborough (United Kingdom), Dubai (UAE). Alam has reported thousands of events and interviewed hundreds of people in Pakistan, UAE, EU, UK and USA. Being Francophone Alam also coordinates with a number of French publications.