Rabbits

Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world. There are seven different genera in the family classified as rabbits, including the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), cottontail rabbit (genus Sylvilagus; 13 species), and the Amami rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi, endangered species on Amami Ōshima, Japan). There are many other species of rabbit, and these, along with cottontails, pikas, and hares, make up the order Lagomorpha. Rabbits generally live between four and twenty years.

Javan Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros Sondaicus)

Javan Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros Sondaicus)
The Java Rhinoceros
Rhinoceros sondaicus (Javan rhinoceros) is known to reside in only two Southeast Asian locales: Ujung Kulon National Park in Java, Indonesia, and Cat Tien National Park in Vietnam. Approximately 50 to 60 Javan rhinoceroses are living in Ujung Kulon; while a small group consisting of only 7 to 15 individuals are thought to be living in Cat Tien.
Rhinoceros sondaicus resides in dense, low-lying tropical rainforests. They prefer areas with abundant water and mud wallows. Although most members of the species are found in these lowland areas, they have been observed at more than 1000 feet above sea level.
An average adult Javan rhinoceros is approximately 11 to 12 feet in length, with a height of 5 to 6 feet to the top of its shoulders. There is little sexual dimorphism. They are known for having poor eyesight, but they have keen senses of smell and hearing -- despite having smaller ears than other rhinoceroses. The skin is a hazy grey and contains tough folds that create an armor-like plating. Its one horn is made up of keratin (as are human fingernails), and may grow to a length of 10 inches. Females may lack a horn. Each foot ends in three hooved toes. Their teeth are lophodont, and the Javan rhinoceros also has an unique prehensile lip that functions as an aid for feasting on leaves.
The female Javan rhinoceros reaches sexual maturity at three to four years of age, while males reach maturity after six years. The gestation period is sixteen months, and the interval between births is four to five years. One rhinoceros is born at a time. A young rhino will be active shortly after birth, and will be suckled by its mother for one to two years. Thirty-five to forty years is the average lifespan of Javan rhinoceroses.
The Javan rhinoceros is fairly solitary, except for mating pairs and mothers with their young. The range for the rhinoceros extends between 3 to 20 square miles, with various groups having ranges that overlap one another. There is no set mating season.

Rhinoceros sondaicus feeds for the most part by browsing. In addition to this, the Javan rhinoceros is known to graze upon leaves, young shoots, twigs and fruit.
Many people in the Javan rhinoceros' homelands, especially Vietnam, would like to see the land upon which the rhino lives cleared for agricultural purposes. As long as governments protect these lands, agriculture can not occur here.
Interesting fact:
Eastern Asian medicine views rhino horns as an important, if not essential part, of medicine. Sixty percent of Eastern Asian doctors stock rhino horn, with Asian horns being perferred over their African counterparts. In this part of the world, one kilogram of rhino horn sells for approximately $60,000. The tribal people of Vietnam are also known to poach the rhinoceros for meat.
The Javan rhinoceros is one of the most endangered species of the rhinoceros family (along with the Sumatran rhinoceros), and one of the rarest large mammals in the world. Following the Vietnam war, Rhinocerous sondaicus was thought to be extinct in Vietnam. Agent Orange, land mines, and general warfare decimated the rhinocerous population. Only recently was the Javan rhinocerous spotted in the area. With such a small population however, the prospects for survival are not good. Although the land on which they live is currently protected, there is pressure to use the land for agricultural purposes. In addition, it is not known how many of the 7 to 15 rhinos are females. If there are only 1 or 2 females, their death could mean the end of the species in Vietnam. Also, with so few animals, the likelihood of inbreeding is great. Inbreeding is known to increase the likelihood of birth defect or disease. Those Javan rhinoceroses residing in Indonesia are fortunate to have a slightly larger population. However, should an environmental catastrophe (such as a forest fire) or disease affect the population, dire consequences could result.
Rhinoceros sondaicus is also referred to as the lesser one-horned rhinoceros.
There are currently no Javan rhinoceroses in captivity.

indonesianfauna

Sumatran Rabbit (Nesolagus Netscheri)

Sumatran Rabbit (Nesolagus Netscheri)
The Sumatran Rabbit
The Sumatran Rabbit (Nesolagus netscheri) is listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and was thought to be extinct until it was accidentally photographed in the late 1990s. Even now it is considered the world’s rarest rabbit and is sorely endangered of becoming completely extinct as the population is so low. There aren’t any current estimations as to how many of them are living in the wild.
Interesting Fact: The Sumatran Rabbit is so rare and well hidden that the local people don’t even have a name for it in their own language and don’t even realize that it exists. The Sumatran Rabbit is extremely isolated, making its home only in the Barisan Mountains on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Since they are so isolated and have not been studied in the wild, there is scarce information on their behavior and habitat. It is known, however, that they are nocturnal, spending the day in burrows dug and deserted by other animals. There is no evidence that they dig their own. They also make their homes in holes in the ground and under the base roots of trees. They live in what is known as the Sundaland Biodiversity Hotspot, which is home to at least 13 other critically endangered species. Other rabbits of the same family as the Sumatran Rabbit use scent for identification and to mark territory and are able to emit high, piercing shrieks when they are injured or in danger. They also warn other rabbits of danger by hitting the ground quickly with their hind legs.
The Sumatran Rabbit is interesting in that it has striped fur, thought to have been an evolutionary development to help the rabbit hide in the rainforest floor. The rabbit is generally gray with thick, soft fur, striped with a chestnut brown color. These stripes pattern the rabbit’s face and body, and there is one stripe that travels all the way from the shoulders to the tail. Sumatran rabbits have white underbellies and red tails. They measure approximately 13-15 inches (340-400 mm) long with a 0.5 inch (15 mm) tail. They only weigh about 3 pounds (1.5 kg). They are also known to have shorter ears than other rabbits.
The Sumatran Rabbit doesn’t venture out into clearings or out of the forest when looking for food. Instead, it stays protected under the trees of the rainforest, making its meals on the plants that grow there, eating both the stalks and the leaves. Since there hasn’t been any significant field research on these rabbits, nothing really is known about their method of reproduction. Other rabbits in the same family, however, usually reach sexual maturity at around 8 months of age. After a gestational period of 10 days, they give birth to litters of baby rabbits, or kittens. These litters can number up to six kittens at a time. Rabbits usually build nests that are lined with their own fur for the kittens when they are born, and they are blind and helpless at birth, usually not even opening their eyes for 7-10 days. Typical rabbits are able to live to be about nine years old. Unfortunately, it is not known whether the Sumatran Rabbit has these typical breeding characteristics or not.


indonesianfauna

Cendrawasih/Raggiana Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea Raggiana)

Cendrawasih/Raggiana Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea Raggiana)


Cendrawasih is the Indonesian word for the bird of paradise. The Raggiana bird of paradise (Paradisaea raggiana) is the national bird of New Guinea, and its figure graces everything from money to stamps to taxi cabs. Because they have such rare and beautiful plumage, birds of paradise have been hunted for centuries, and their feathers have been used for decoration and their supposed mystical properties. They are currently listed as endangered and trapping and export are illegal, but all species of the bird of paradise are still being traded illegally on the black market.
Interesting Fact: After trading plumes of birds of paradise with early European explorers, local tribes told them that the birds were the birds of the gods and never touched earth, feeding only on dew. This story accentuated the value of the birds for over 100 years, and the feathers were in such high demand that it almost killed off the species. The cendrawasih is only found on the island of New Guinea. There are at least 37 other species of the bird of paradise that also make their homes on this island. The males are known to gather in a specific tree together in the morning and will engage in mutual display, where they fluff out their extensive colorful feathers to try and attract a female. They live in the tops of trees and in the underbrush, making nests in tree branches and holes.
Cendrawasih, or Birds of Paradise, are considered by many to be the most beautiful birds on the planet. The females are a relatively drab, dull brown, which helps them take cover when they are nesting and raising the young. They average about 13 inches in length (33 cm), about the size and build of a crow. The males are covered with different sizes and shapes of feathers in every conceivable color, and they often have patches of skin without feathers that are wild, shocking colors as well. The Raggiana has very long, orange, trailing tail feathers. His head and the nape of his neck are yellow, and he has a green chin.
Cendrawasih are primarily fruit eaters, but they will also eat berries, leaves, and small animals, such as lizards and frogs. Their flight is slow and ponderous, contrary to their graceful appearance, and they stay in the same area all year, not following any sort of migratory pattern. Courtship is the main purpose of the cendrawasih’s gaudy appearance. The females outnumber the males, so the males must compete with each other to win favor of a female when she is ready to mate. The Raggiana especially is known for his overly energetic courtship dance. There are, however, some bird of paradise species that mate for life, and the males have drab brown feathers like the females and will help raise the young and tend the nest. Of the species that are polygamous, however, the female takes care of all nesting and raising duties, usually laying two eggs at a time.


indonesianfauna

Cendrawasih/Raggiana Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea Raggiana)

Cendrawasih/Raggiana Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea Raggiana)


Cendrawasih is the Indonesian word for the bird of paradise. The Raggiana bird of paradise (Paradisaea raggiana) is the national bird of New Guinea, and its figure graces everything from money to stamps to taxi cabs. Because they have such rare and beautiful plumage, birds of paradise have been hunted for centuries, and their feathers have been used for decoration and their supposed mystical properties. They are currently listed as endangered and trapping and export are illegal, but all species of the bird of paradise are still being traded illegally on the black market.
Interesting Fact: After trading plumes of birds of paradise with early European explorers, local tribes told them that the birds were the birds of the gods and never touched earth, feeding only on dew. This story accentuated the value of the birds for over 100 years, and the feathers were in such high demand that it almost killed off the species. The cendrawasih is only found on the island of New Guinea. There are at least 37 other species of the bird of paradise that also make their homes on this island. The males are known to gather in a specific tree together in the morning and will engage in mutual display, where they fluff out their extensive colorful feathers to try and attract a female. They live in the tops of trees and in the underbrush, making nests in tree branches and holes.
Cendrawasih, or Birds of Paradise, are considered by many to be the most beautiful birds on the planet. The females are a relatively drab, dull brown, which helps them take cover when they are nesting and raising the young. They average about 13 inches in length (33 cm), about the size and build of a crow. The males are covered with different sizes and shapes of feathers in every conceivable color, and they often have patches of skin without feathers that are wild, shocking colors as well. The Raggiana has very long, orange, trailing tail feathers. His head and the nape of his neck are yellow, and he has a green chin.
Cendrawasih are primarily fruit eaters, but they will also eat berries, leaves, and small animals, such as lizards and frogs. Their flight is slow and ponderous, contrary to their graceful appearance, and they stay in the same area all year, not following any sort of migratory pattern. Courtship is the main purpose of the cendrawasih’s gaudy appearance. The females outnumber the males, so the males must compete with each other to win favor of a female when she is ready to mate. The Raggiana especially is known for his overly energetic courtship dance. There are, however, some bird of paradise species that mate for life, and the males have drab brown feathers like the females and will help raise the young and tend the nest. Of the species that are polygamous, however, the female takes care of all nesting and raising duties, usually laying two eggs at a time.

indonesianfauna