SUMATRAN RHINO

The Sumatran Rhino

The Sumatran rhino is the smallest, hairiest, and most ancient of all rhinos — a relic of the Ice Age that has survived for millions of years, only to face its greatest challenge in the 21st century. Covered in long hair and sporting two horns, Sumatran rhinos look unlike any other rhino on Earth.

These are solitary animals, each requiring up to 200 square kilometers of territory. They're so dispersed across their former range that males and females rarely meet. In fact, this may be the Sumatran rhino's biggest problem: they can't find each other to breed. Females go years without encountering a male. Gestation is 15-16 months, and they produce one calf every 6-7 years.

The Sumatran Rhino Rescue Center in Sumatra is attempting the impossible: bringing together wild-caught rhinos in a breeding program. It's controversial, expensive, and difficult — but with fewer than 80 individuals scattered across isolated pockets, time is running out.