# Javan Rhino (*Rhinoceros sondaicus*)

> The Javan rhinoceros is the rarest of all rhino species, with roughly 70 individuals surviving in a single national park on Java, Indonesia. Smaller than the Indian rhino at 900–2,300 kg (2,000–5,000 lb), it has a single horn and nearly hairless grey skin, and is Critically Endangered from historic hunting and tiny range.

- **Category:** Mammal
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Critically Endangered
- **Range:** Critically endangered remnant population in Ujung Kulon National Park at the western tip of Java, Indonesia — extinct in its former range across Southeast Asia, India, and Vietnam.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/javan-rhino/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Mammalia
- **Order:** Perissodactyla
- **Family:** Rhinocerotidae
- **Genus:** Rhinoceros

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Rhinoceros sondaicus |
| Diet | Herbivore — shoots, twigs, fallen fruit, and leaves |
| Habitat | Dense tropical rainforest and tall grass in lowland Java |
| Lifespan | 30–45 years in the wild |
| Weight | 900–2,300 kg (2,000–5,000 lb); males larger |
| Top speed | Up to 30 km/h (19 mph) in short charge |
| Conservation status | Critically Endangered (IUCN) |

## Last population on Java

All surviving Javan rhinos live in Ujung Kulon National Park at the western tip of Java — a peninsula isolated by the 1883 Krakatau eruption and tsunami. No Javan rhinos remain in their former range across Southeast Asia, Vietnam, or India.

## Forest browser

Unlike grass-grazing white rhinos, Javan rhinos browse woody vegetation in dense rainforest, using a pointed upper lip to strip shoots and fallen fruit. They follow regular trails through undergrowth and wallow in mud to cool and deter insects.

## Extreme rarity

With fewer than 80 individuals, the Javan rhino is the rarest large mammal on Earth. The last Javan rhino in Vietnam was poached in 2010. Every birth in Ujung Kulon is monitored by camera traps — the population is too small to survive a disease outbreak or natural disaster.

## Recovery challenges

Plans to establish a second population on Java or elsewhere have progressed slowly due to habitat requirements, tsunami risk at Ujung Kulon, and the invasive Arenga palm crowding out rhino food plants. Anti-poaching success means natural threats now dominate.

## Frequently asked questions

### How many Javan rhinos are left?

Roughly 70–75 individuals, all in Ujung Kulon National Park on Java, Indonesia — the rarest rhino species and one of the rarest mammals on Earth.

### Javan rhino vs Indian rhino?

Javan rhinos are smaller, nearly hairless, and have a single horn. Indian (greater one-horned) rhinos are larger with armour-like skin folds and number over 4,000 in India and Nepal.

### Why are Javan rhinos Critically Endangered?

Historic hunting for horn and habitat loss eliminated them across Asia. The entire species now depends on one small park vulnerable to tsunami, disease, and invasive plants.

### Do Javan rhinos have two horns?

Usually one horn, rarely two — unlike African rhinos which typically have two horns (though black rhinos also have one primary horn).

### Can you see Javan rhinos?

No public tourism is permitted — the population is too fragile. Researchers rely on camera traps and footprints for monitoring.

## Sources

- [IUCN Red List — Rhinoceros sondaicus.](https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Rhinoceros%20sondaicus&searchType=species)
- [Animal Diversity Web — Rhinoceros sondaicus. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Rhinoceros_sondaicus/)
- [Wikipedia — Javan Rhino.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javan_rhinoceros)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/javan-rhino/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.