Borneo is one of the largest island on earth, home to lush tropical rainforests and rich biodiversity. This landscape supports thousands of plant and animal species, including rare and endangered wildlife such as orangutans, rhinos, and elephants. Its relatively untouched natural environment provides crucial habitat for these species to survive.
One of the species found in Kalimantan is the sub-species of Sumatran rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis harrissoni), currently facing a critical population decline. To help increase its numbers, the Indonesian government has initiated various efforts, including the establishment of the Kelian Rhino Sanctuary (Suaka Badak Kelian/SBK) in the Kelian Lestari Protected Forest, West Kutai, East Kalimantan.
SBK is managed by the East Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA Kaltim), with support from several NGOs dedicated to rhino conservation—one of which is the Aliansi Lestari Rimba Terpadu (ALeRT). The sanctuary is supported by a team consisting of veterinarians, rhino keepers, a feed and habitat team, and a facility management team—all working together to ensure the well-being of the rhinos.
Today, SBK is home to Pahu, a female Sumatran rhino who was translocated to the site in 2018. Daily activities at the sanctuary include routine care such as providing food and conducting patrols along the paddock fences. To maintain Pahu’s health, the team performs regular physical checkups, urine and feces tests, and reproductive health assessments. Behavior monitoring is also carried out to deepen understanding of this critically endangered species.
We continue to make every effort to conserve the Sumatran rhino population in Kalimantan through various approaches. One of these is the application of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART). The retrieval of egg cells from Pahu, the female rhino, was carried out through a collaborative effort involving a joint team of veterinarians from the Directorate of Species and Genetic Biodiversity Conservation (KSG), the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at IPB University, the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) Germany, Colossal USA, the East Kalimantan BKSDA, and the Aliansi Lestari Rimba Terpadu (ALeRT).
Conservation efforts are not limited to activities within the Kelian Rhino Sanctuary (SBK); work also continues in the field. These include mapping potential Sumatran rhino distribution areas across East and Central Kalimantan. To support this mapping, surveys are conducted using several methods, including occupancy surveys, social surveys, and environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys.
