The elephant hospital named Prof Dr Ir Rubini Atmadijaja Hospital will also function as a facility for supporting conservation efforts, education and research on the Sumatran elephant, the parks public relations coordinator, Sukatmoko said here Saturday.
The hospital may also be used to treat other animal species needing medical attention, he said.
The hospital was dedicated by Tachrir Fathoni, the director general of natural resource and ecosystem conservation of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry on Thursday (Nov 5) after receiving the "Harapan (Hope)" rhino at Way Kambas Rhino Sanctuary from Robert Ewing, representing the United States (US) Consulate in Sumatra.
The hospital at present is manned by two veterinarians from the Way Kambas National Park, Sukatmoko said.
The Way Kambas National Park is one of the national parks in Lampung province with exotic, rare and protected tropical rain forest flora and fauna in the world.
The park has a center for the Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) and Sumatran rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatraensis).
The park has received two Sumatran rhinos from the US zoos. The first is the Andalas rhino which was returned several years ago, and the second is the Harapan rhino which was returned to its original habitat several days ago from the Cincinnati Zoo in Ohio, US.
From the Sumatra rhino sanctuary at the Way Kambas National Park in Lampung it is expected more Sumatra rhinos could be bred to preserve and prevent the species from extinction.
The Way Kambas National Park also has the Way Kambas Elephant Conservation Center which is one of the "elephant schools" in Sumatra to tame, train and educate elephants.
(Reporting by Budisantoso Budiman & Muklasin/Uu.INE/KR-BSR/F001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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