Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) at the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary, Indonesia.
Image: 26Isabella, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
At a glance
- IUCN category
- CR · Critically Endangered
- Animal group
- Mammals
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- Last verified
Conservation overview
The Sumatran rhinoceros is the smallest living rhino and the only Asian rhino with two horns. Notably hairy, it is a relative of the extinct woolly rhinoceros. It is assessed as Critically Endangered.
It survives only in small, scattered rainforest populations, which makes finding mates very difficult.
Range & habitat
Survives only in small, scattered rainforest populations on Sumatra and Borneo, Indonesia.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Very small, fragmented populations with few breeding opportunities
- Historical poaching for horn
- Habitat loss and isolation
Why it matters
As a browsing forest rhino, it helps shape rainforest vegetation, and its survival now depends on bringing isolated animals together to breed.
Gallery
Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis); a captive individual.
Image: Charles W. Hardin, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources
Sources for Sumatran Rhinoceros
- IUCN Red List — look up Sumatran Rhinoceros (authoritative status)
- Animal Diversity Web
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Sumatran rhinoceros Critically Endangered?
What makes the Sumatran rhino unusual?
Last updated: