June 19, 2026, 1:05 p.mJune 19, 2026, 1:05 p.m
The last known wild Bornean rhino is to be captured in Indonesia. Egg cells from the animal called Pari are to be collected for artificial insemination with sperm from Sumatran rhinos in order to save the species from extinction
The Bornean rhinoceros is threatened with extinction.Image: www.imago-images.de
This was announced by a person responsible for an Indonesian nature conservation authority on Friday. Pahu lives in the Kelian Rhino Sanctuary in Indonesia, Pari is still in the wild in the Kutai Kartanegara region on the island of Kalimantan (Borneo).
Experts have already tried to collect eggs from Pahu for artificial insemination. However, since the animal has already reached an old age of around 40 years and also suffers from health problems, no viable eggs have been obtained so far, explained Ari Wibawanto, head of the East Kalimantan Nature Conservation Authority.
The conservationists’ entire hope therefore rests on Pari. The animal appears to be younger, as surveillance camera footage showed.
Capturing rhinos is not easy
Traps have already been set up to capture the rhinoceros. After a successful capture, the rhino cow will be transported by air to a secure facility.
Once caught, Pari will be airlifted to a secure facility. The plan is to remove her eggs and fertilize them with the sperm of a Sumatran rhino outside the womb. If successful, a surrogate mother should carry the young.
The Bornean rhinoceros is a subspecies of the Sumatran rhinoceros. Researchers believe that the two animals are genetically closely related enough to help preserve part of the genetic heritage of the Bornean lineage.
In 2024, scientists in Germany successfully carried out in vitro fertilization on a white rhinoceros for the first time. This breakthrough raised new hopes that similar procedures could be used on other rhinoceros species in the future. (dab/sda/afp)