It's a big day for animal conservationists, as a team from the World Wildlife Fund has discovered footprints in Borneo thought to belong to a critically endangered rhinoceros species.
If confirmed, this may lead to the discovery of more endangered Sumatran rhinos, and hopefully plans to better protect the dwindling population.
The discovery was made during a study of orangutans in the West Kutai forested district of the East Kalimantan province by members of WWF Indonesia. A follow up survey was quickly scheduled and found additional tracks and more signs of activity. Additionally, over 20 different plant species that the Sumatran rhinos normally feed on were found in the surrounding area.
The WWF is currently working with government forestry experts at the University of Mulawarman to verify the survey findings.
"We got some strong indications [of rhino presence] in the forms of mud pond and scratches from horns on the bushes and trees," head of the WWF survey team Yuyun Kurniawan told BBC.
While this is extremely promising, the organization has yet to actually find the rhino population, and as of now, their current numbers remain a mystery. The species was thought to be extinct in the Kalimantan region in the 1990s, and as of today, fewer than 200 Sumatran rhinos exist in Indonesia and Malaysia. They are regularly threatened by habitat destruction and poaching.
The location of the footprints has not been revealed to the public to protect the rhino population from potential hunters.
Further plans if visual confirmation can be made have not been made clear. Whether the animals will be allowed to continue to remain in the region, or will be moved to a safer environment will probably be announced once the rhino population has been located. Either way, this discovery is huge news for conservationists worldwide, and will hopefully mean good things for the species as a whole.
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