Javan Rhino Clings to Survival After Indonesia Poaching Wave 

An armed policeman guards suspected poachers arrested over their alleged involvement in hunting Javan rhinos, during a press conference at the police headquarters in Banten on June 11, 2024. (AFP)
An armed policeman guards suspected poachers arrested over their alleged involvement in hunting Javan rhinos, during a press conference at the police headquarters in Banten on June 11, 2024. (AFP)
TT
20

Javan Rhino Clings to Survival After Indonesia Poaching Wave 

An armed policeman guards suspected poachers arrested over their alleged involvement in hunting Javan rhinos, during a press conference at the police headquarters in Banten on June 11, 2024. (AFP)
An armed policeman guards suspected poachers arrested over their alleged involvement in hunting Javan rhinos, during a press conference at the police headquarters in Banten on June 11, 2024. (AFP)

In 2023, a newborn Javan rhino in Indonesia raised hopes for the highly endangered species. Now, conservationists fear poachers have killed up to a third of the surviving population, possibly with inside help.

Since last year, authorities have arrested six alleged poachers. But eight remain on the run, including one who managed to flee his home hours before police arrived.

The fugitive reportedly had recent data on rhinos in Java's Ujung Kulon national park, the only place in the world the species is still found, sparking fears he had inside assistance.

The poachers claim two gangs have killed 26 rhinos since 2018 -- between a third and a quarter of the species' estimated population.

"It's a huge number," said Nina Fascione, director of the International Rhino Foundation, adding that she was "shocked and devastated".

The suspects reportedly said they killed the rhinos for their horns, which command huge sums from black market buyers in China.

Though horns are made of keratin -- the same substance found in hair and nails -- they are prized for medicinal purposes.

Indonesian police have arrested a collector who bought rhino horns from the gang for 500 million rupiah ($30,500).

While rhino poaching for horns is common elsewhere, the Indonesian case has taken some conservationists by surprise.

"The poaching of the Javan rhino is really a new topic," said Timer Manurung, director of local environmental NGO Auriga Nusantara, which tracks the species.

Poaching of the animal had rarely been reported in recent decades on Java, Indonesia's most populated island.

But last year, Auriga Nusantara reported worrying signs that poachers were encroaching into Ujung Kulon: snares had been discovered and a dead rhino was found with a hole in its head.

- Insider help? -

Still, the scale of the problem exceeds the worst fears of conservationists, and has raised questions about how the poachers tracked the protected animals.

"There were several indications of insider help," including the apparent tip-off of the fugitive poacher and claims he had recent data on rhino locations, said Timer.

Muhammad Ali Imron, head of WWF Indonesia's forest and wildlife program, told AFP there should be a "full assessment" of all involved in the rhino's conservation over potential collusion.

Indonesian law enforcement has not yet confirmed any insider help, but Fascione said poachers elsewhere have often operated with assistance from those meant to protect the species.

"All it takes is somebody with financial problems... who needs money quickly, urgently, and they're susceptible," said Fascione.

"This is a problem everywhere."

Local reports of the poaching claims began to emerge in April, but it was not until early June that police and the park head paraded suspects before media and released details of their alleged crimes.

And the poachers' claims "need further verification by checking the remains of bones and other signs on the ground," Satyawan Pudyatmoko, Indonesia's directorate general of Nature Resources and Ecosystem Conservation, told AFP.

He said officials had "not seen any such indication" of inside help, and said suspects were tipped off by residents of a nearby village.

Earlier this month, one of the arrested poachers was handed a 12-year prison sentence, the most severe ever given for an Indonesian wildlife crime, after a trial that lasted weeks.

The national park has also beefed up security with round-the-clock patrols, and experts say rangers are working hard to improve protection.

- Numbers 'doubtful' -

Now the question is just how many Javan rhinos remain.

Even before the poaching was revealed, doubts had been cast on the government's estimate of the wild population.

Satyawan told AFP there were an estimated 76 in 2021 and 80 in 2022, based on track monitoring and camera traps.

They now believe 82 remain despite the poaching, with new births expanding the population.

But Auriga said last year that only 63 had been confirmed by sightings in 2018.

That could mean the true figure for Javan rhinos in the wild is now closer to just 50.

An immediate, "transparent and credible" assessment of the species is now needed, said Timer.

"The current number of the population really needs to be reassessed."

He called for respected experts to be given full access to park data to do the count of the rhinos, which can live between 30 and 45 years.

"Without those, the number will be doubtful," he added.

The species has been threatened for decades. It disappeared from its last refuge outside Indonesia, in Vietnam, in 2010, due to poaching.

But conservationists say they are not giving up hope yet for the species in Indonesia, where the population has previously rebounded after nearly dying out.

"The Indonesian government has brought Javan rhinos back from the brink of extinction previously, and can do so again," said Fascione.

In March, another Javan rhino calf, estimated to be three months old, was spotted on camera at Ujung Kulon, showing the species is still breeding properly.

"Javan rhinos know what to do," Fascione said.

"They just need to be protected to do it."



Matcha: The Japanese Tea Taking over the World

A staff member at Tokyo's Milia Matcha prepares a matcha drink for a customer. Philip FONG / AFP
A staff member at Tokyo's Milia Matcha prepares a matcha drink for a customer. Philip FONG / AFP
TT
20

Matcha: The Japanese Tea Taking over the World

A staff member at Tokyo's Milia Matcha prepares a matcha drink for a customer. Philip FONG / AFP
A staff member at Tokyo's Milia Matcha prepares a matcha drink for a customer. Philip FONG / AFP

Matcha is the new drink of choice at hip cafes worldwide, but Japanese producers are struggling to keep up with soaring demand for the powdered green tea.

Here's what you need to know about the drink beloved of weekend treat-seekers and "wellness" influencers:

What is matcha?

The word matcha means "ground tea" in Japanese and comes in the form of a vivid green powder that is whisked with hot water and can be added to milk to make a matcha latte.

Green tea was introduced to Japan from China in the early ninth century, and was first used for medicinal purposes.

Matcha came much later, in 16th century Kyoto -- part of the tea ceremony tradition developed by tea master Sen no Rikyu.

Today, there are different grades of matcha quality, from "ceremonial" to "culinary" types used in baking.

How is it produced?

Matcha is made from leaves called "tencha", which are grown in the shade in the final weeks before their harvest to concentrate the flavor, color and nutrients.

This "requires the construction of a complex structure with poles and a roof to filter the light", explained Masahiro Okutomi, a tea producer in Sayama, northwest of Tokyo.

Tencha leaves, rich in chlorophyll and L-theanine, a compound known for its relaxing effects, are hand-picked and deveined, then steamed, dried and ground between two stone mills to produce an ultra-fine powder.

It can take up to an hour to produce just 40 grams (1.4 ounces) of matcha -- making the powder on average twice as expensive to produce as standard green tea leaves.

What are its benefits?

Many drink matcha for its rich grass-like taste, but others are drawn to the drink's nutritional properties.

It is rich in antioxidants, and can aid concentration because of its caffeine content: one cup contains on average 48 milligrams, slightly less than a drip coffee but nearly twice as much as a standardly brewed green tea.

"Matcha is often seen as being good for your health," said Shigehito Nishikida, manager of Tokyo tea shop Jugetsudo.

"But people are also attracted to the Japanese culture around tea: the ritual, the time taken, the aesthetics," he said.

Why is it so popular?

Japan produced 4,176 tons of matcha in 2023 -- a huge increase from the 1,430 tons in 2012.

More than half of the powder is exported, according to the agriculture ministry, mostly to the United States, Southeast Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East.

Millions of videos on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube demonstrate how to make photogenic matcha drinks or choose a traditional "chasen" bamboo whisk.

"I feel like Gen Z really drove this enthusiasm for matcha, and they heavily relied on social media to do so," Stevie Youssef, a 31-year-old marketing professional, told AFP at a matcha bar in Los Angeles.

Matcha can also be used in cooking, extending its appeal to others aside from tea lovers.

"Some customers simply enjoy drinking it, others like preparing it themselves. And of course, many buy it as a gift -- Japanese matcha is always appreciated," said Jugetsudo's Nishikida.