Adopt a Rhino
The Sumatran rhinoceros is one of the most endangered mammals on Earth. Fewer than 300 animals survive in small, isolated forest fragments in Indonesia and Malaysia.
You can help to protect the Sumatran rhino from extinction by "adopting" a rhino at the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary!
The Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary (SRS), a 250-acre complex located within Way Kambas National Park in Sumatra, Indonesia, is currently home to five rhinos that are part of an intensively managed research and breeding program aimed at increasing the Sumatran rhino population in the wild. At the sanctuary, the rhinos reside in large, open areas where they can experience a natural rainforest habitat while still receiving state-of-the-art veterinary care and nutrition.
You may choose to adopt any of the five rhinos at the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary for as many days as you would like, either in your own name, or as a gift for a relative or friend who supports wildlife conservation!
In honor of each adoption, your or your gift recipient will receive an adoption certificate and a photo and bio of your chosen rhino, as well as regular updates on your rhino and IRF's work to protect and conserve rhinos worldwide.
Andalas was the first Sumat ran rhino born in captivity in more than 112 years - and the first in a hopefully long line of Sumatran rhinos that will eventually be introduced back into the wild to help bolster the species' dwindling populations. This little male rhino, weighing 70 pounds at birth, immediately became a worldwide news sensation when he was born September 13, 2001 at the Cincinnati Zoo. At age 5, the fully-grown Andalas was moved to the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary. After successfully adapting to life at the sanctuary during his quarantine and adjustment period, Andalas was released into a big paddock and has gradually been introduced to two young females, "Rosa" and "Ratu", living at the Sanctuary. Although he was initially scared of the other rhinos and ran away when he heard them coming, Andalas soon began exhibiting typical rhino behaviors with his peers - kicking up dirt, feigning attack, chasing, and trampling bushes.
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Adopt Andalas Now! |
Bina, a 22-year-old female, is one of the last Sumatran rhinos to be captured and relocated within Indonesia. Bina was born in southern Sumatra's Bengkulu province, which was formerly home to a significant population of Sumatran rhinoceros. But, by the 1980s, the construction of several villages, large oil palm plantations, and a logging concession had left the province with little habitat for rhinos. Bina and the few other rhinos still living in the area were essentially stranded, with no chance for survival in the wild, and so they were rescued in 1991. Soon after the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary was constructed in 1997, all the Sumatran rhinos remaining in captivity in Indonesia, including Bina, were transferred there. Bina has adapted happily to life at the SRS. She spends her days browsing in her 25-acre forest enclosure, feeding on the dense vegetation and wallowing in the mud. 
Like Bina, Torgamba, a 26-year-old male rhino, was rescued by the Sumatran Rhino Trust after the forests in Riau province where he lived were largely cleared to make way for logging concessions and palm oil plantations, leaving Torgamba and other rhinos stranded without enough habitat in which to browse for food. Torgamba was the first displaced rhino to become part of a joint program between the Indonesian government and international zoos and non-profits to research and breed Sumatran rhinos in captivity in order to help ensure the survival of the species in the wild. After an 11-year stay at the Port Lympne Wild Animal Park in England, Torgamba was transferred back home to the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary in 1998. Although he had learned to eat apples, grapes and other foods during his time in England, at the sanctuary, Torgamba soon became accustomed to browsing for more traditional rhino fare. Like Sumatran rhinos in the wild, he spends most of the day feeding on the twigs and leaves of small trees and shrubs growing in the forest understory. 
Ratu (whose name means "queen") originally made her home near one of the borders of Way Kambas National Park, where she came into contact with local people who had built a village in the same area. Because of her dark coloration, villagers mistook Ratu for a large pig and tried to kill her, but luckily she ran away and escaped harm. A team of rangers, keepers and veterinarians was dispatched to find and protect Ratu, and to guide her safely to the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary where she could experience a natural habitat while remaining safe from humans. When she first arrived at the sanctuary, Ratu was still traumatized from the stress of her encounter with the local villagers and her trip back to the park. She did not eat well and exhibited difficulties walking on her left hind leg after all the running she had done. After several weeks though, Ratu was as good as new. She began consuming large amounts of vegetation on her own, her leg healed, and she walked normally again. Ratu is now a very healthy and well-adjusted rhino, although at only 1,180 pounds, she is the smallest rhino at the sanctuary. 
Beginning in late 2003, Rhino Protection Units working in Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park began receiving reports from local villagers that a young Sumatran rhino, Rosa, had frequently been observed walking along roads and browsing for vegetation in villages around the park boundaries. Most Sumatran rhinos are very shy and solitary, but this unique rhinoceros was comfortable living and feeding in close proximity to people. A special protection unit was permanently assigned to observe and protect her, as there were serious concerns that Rosa's habituation to humans could put her at risk. Eventually she was transferred to the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary in Way Kambas National Park where she could be better protected and possibly reproduce. Rosa adapted rapidly to her life at the sanctuary. Although she initially spent most of her time browsing for food inside the "boma" (her individual pasture and paddock), because she is so habituated to humans, Rosa now takes long walks in the forest with sanctuary staff. 
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