The Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis), an animal assembled in prehistoric eras and a representative of the megafauna that once populated the planet, had not been spotted by human eyes in the East Kalimantan region of Indonesian Borneo for over forty years.

Until 2013 the animal was believed to have been extinct in this area for decades, but three years ago a specimen was captured by camera traps as it cooled itself in a mud pool before disappearing into the dense forest. Now, however, there is no longer any doubt: on 12 March last, a female Sumatran rhinoceros was observed in the wild, forty years after the last sighting.

The animal was captured by the WWF using a trap (non-invasive, the organisation specifies) used to monitor wild species. "It's a truly exciting discovery," commented Efransjah, CEO of WWF-Indonesia. "We have proof that a species thought to be lost is still roaming our forests and we will now strengthen our efforts to protect this extraordinary animal."

The rhinoceros, a specimen of around four or five years of age, will not continue to roam furtively through the forests of East Kalimantan, however: it has been decided to move the animal to a protected nature reserve in Borneo, approximately 150 kilometres away, to ensure its safety and reduce the risk of poaching.

WWF Indonesia aims to establish a new sanctuary for the Sumatran rhinoceros in Indonesia; at least three more animals should be transferred to the protected area in the near future, in the hope of establishing a more stable resident population. It is estimated that barely one hundred Sumatran rhinoceroses survive in the wild; the population has been decimated over the past century by poaching and habitat loss caused primarily by deforestation and mining.

Last year the eastern Sumatran rhinoceros, or Bornean rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis harrissoni), a subspecies of the Sumatran rhinoceros, was declared extinct in the Malaysian state of Sabah. Based on data collected, scientists believe that approximately fifteen rhinoceroses are present in the Kalimantan area, divided into three populations.

"Given the critical situation of Sumatran rhinoceroses in the wild, it is essential that isolated individuals like this female become part of a resident population to ensure the future of the species," declared Nilanga Jayasinghe, WWF's Asian species conservation expert.

Several hundred specimens are scattered across zoos around the world, but these animals rarely reproduce in captivity. We hope that the female captured by WWF will help save the species, and that one day encountering a Sumatran rhinoceros while trekking through the jungle might become a welcome occurrence.