International News

JAKARTA, (APP/AFP): A Sumatran rhino gave birth at a
sanctuary in Indonesia on Thursday, an official said, taking the critically endangered species a step further away from extinction.
The female calf was born at 5:40 am on western Sumatra island, a
spokesman for the environment ministry said.
It was the second baby born to rhino Ratu. Her previous birth four
years ago marked the first time a Sumatran rhino had been born in an Asian breeding facility for more than 140 years.
The new calf and Ratu, whose name means “Queen” in Indonesian, were
both in good health, with the newborn feeding within two hours, spokesman Novrizal Tahar told AFP.
“We are very thankful for this birth, as Sumatran rhinos are rare
animals,” he said.
Sumatran rhinos are extremely rare, with just 100 believed to exist
in the world. The birth is a major boon for the species, which last year
was declared extinct in Malaysia.
Despite being the smallest of the five remaining rhino species,
Sumatran rhinos have very long pregnancies that last about 16 months.
Covered in woolly hair ranging from reddish brown to black in colour,
Sumatran rhinos are the only Asian rhinoceroses with two horns.