The Indian rhinoceros is a member of the rhinoceros family. Forms a separate species that lives in Central Asia.
The animal is very large in size, in this the Indian rhinoceros is second only to the Indian elephant. Preferred habitat is bushes and savannah. This animal lives in northeast India, northern Bangladesh, eastern Pakistan and southern Nepal. The Indian rhinoceros lives in nature reserves. The largest population lives in the Indian state of Assam. Its population is more than 1,500 individuals. In Nepal, about 600 individuals of this species live in the Chitwan Nature Reserve. The population of these animals in Pakistan numbers approximately 300 rhinoceroses. In total, there are about 2,500 rhinoceroses in Asia. The population size is at a stable level, even a small gradual increase is observed.
Appearance of a rhinoceros
Rhinoceroses are large and strong animals. At the withers they reach a height of 1.8 meters. The average male weighs 2.2 tons, but there are individuals weighing 2.5 and 2.8 tons.
Males are larger than females. Average weight females - about 1.6 tons. In general, there are no external differences between the sexes. They have one horn on the muzzle, the length of which reaches 20-60 cm. With a short length, it looks more like a bump on the nose of the animal. The feet have 3 toes. Their eyes are small in size, their expression gives the impression that the animal is sleepy all the time.
The color of the skin is gray-pink. The body of a rhinoceros is covered with large folds of skin. In appearance, it seems that the animal’s body is covered with a shell. The skin is covered with knobby bumps. There is no fur on the body. Rhinoceroses have a tail with a small tassel at the end. The animal is clumsy in appearance, however, it runs well, and its speed can reach up to 50 km/h. Unlike its African counterpart, the Indian rhinoceros swims well. This animal has excellent hearing and an excellent sense of smell, but its vision is weak.
Behavior and nutrition of the Indian rhinoceros
The basis of the diet consists of reed shoots, elephant grass, aquatic plants, young short grass. The keratinized sharp lip with a sharp edge helps to easily cut and eat plants. Rhinoceroses are active in the morning and evening. During the day the animal rests, preferring to be in puddles or pits with mud. At the same time, birds sit on his back and take ticks out of his skin. Indian rhinoceroses consider water bodies to be common, but they share land territory. Each animal has its own allotment, the boundaries of which the rhinoceros marks with feces. They drive guests away, and if they don’t leave, a fight can break out. Because of this, the bodies of males have scars.
Rhinoceroses are herd animals. Rhino's enemies wildlife no, he is too strong, they even fear him. The main enemy is man, who has been killing these animals for centuries. The first reason for this is that the rhinoceros damaged the crops. Even now, when these animals live outside the fence of nature reserves, they can break through the fence and fall into the fields, causing damage to farmers. Previously, wildlife and land coexisted peacefully.
The second reason for the extermination of Indian rhinoceroses is the rumor that the horn of this animal has magical and healing properties. Because of this, animals were shot in huge quantities, and their horns were sold on black markets at very high prices. In our century, the number of horns has decreased noticeably, and prices have risen significantly. In this regard, poachers are now even entering nature reserves, killing the animal and cutting off its horn. To protect the animals, the state has adopted very harsh laws according to which reserve employees can shoot at all strangers who enter the territory. Moreover, this is done without any investigation; finding out the identity of the stranger and the reasons for the penetration begins later. Such preventive measures have stabilized the population today.
Reproduction and lifespan
These animals can breed at any time of the year. Puberty in females it occurs at the age of 4 years, in males - at 8 years. There is an explanation for this decision of nature: by the age of 8, the male becomes strong and powerful and can continue his race; at an earlier age, older and stronger individuals would not have allowed him to do this. And at this age, in fights between males, he defeats more mature representatives of the species.
INDIAN RHINO
(Rhinoceros unicornis)
INDIAN RHINO (Rhinoceros unicornis) or armored one, is better preserved than other Asian species. This is the largest animal in Asia after the elephant: its body length is up to 4.2 m, its height at the shoulders is up to 2 m and its weight is up to 2 tons. The bare skin of this rhinoceros is divided into folds into large areas that hang down like a shell. Thick skin plates, especially in the back of the body, bear knobby swellings. Only on the tail and ears there are small tassels of coarse hair. On the shoulder of the armored rhinoceros there is a deep fold, curved back. A single horn can be up to 60 cm long (usually about 20 cm). In the distant past, the Indian rhinoceros was widespread in Southeast Asia. But, like other rhinoceroses in Asia, it has long been persecuted by humans because of legends about the healing power of the horn. And now a person who kills a rhinoceros can become quite rich, so the fight against poaching is extremely difficult, and rhinoceroses are threatened with complete extermination. Already in the 18th century. Rhinoceroses disappeared from western India and Burma, and in the 19th century from the Ganges Valley. By the beginning of the twentieth century, rhinoceroses survived only in Assam (India), Northern Bengal and Nepal. Of the total number of rhinoceroses worldwide (approximately 1,000), more than 400 live in Kaziranga, a special sanctuary in Assam. The armored rhinoceros lives in swampy savannas and, due to its enormous strength, has almost no enemies except humans. A mighty elephant retreats before a rhinoceros; even a tiger does not attack an adult rhinoceros. However, for the tiger, the favorite delicacy is baby rhinoceroses, which he is not averse to dragging away at any opportunity. The Indian rhinoceros defends itself not so much with its horn as with the fangs of its lower jaw, delivering cutting blows with them. Not feeling danger, the rhinoceros does not run away when other animals or humans appear, but continues to graze. He rushes at the intruder of his peace only as a last resort. Heavy and seemingly clumsy, it is quite fast and can run at speeds of up to 35-40 km/h, jumping over large ditches. The rhinoceros swims well; for example, in Kaziranga there are cases where a rhinoceros swam across the very wide Brahmaputra. The Indian rhinoceros is a herbivore, feeding on aquatic plants, young shoots of reeds and elephant grass. During the hottest part of the day, rhinoceroses rest in small lakes or puddles, often filled with liquid mud. Most of the time, rhinoceroses live alone, having their own individual territory of about 4000 m2. This area includes dense thickets of elephant grass, as well as a puddle, a small lake or part of the shore of a large reservoir. Animals mark their territory with large piles of droppings. Walking or running past such a heap, a rhinoceros will definitely sniff it and lay down its droppings. Impenetrable thickets of elephant grass are crossed by numerous rhino trails. There are common paths along which many animals go to the mud baths, there are also “private” ones that lead to individual areas, and the owner zealously protects these paths. In the water or mud swamp, you can see several rhinoceroses lying peacefully nearby. However, when rhinoceroses come ashore, their peaceful coexistence ends and fights often break out. Many rhinos bear visible scars from such battles. Rhinos can be quite dangerous. Often an irritated rhinoceros, especially a female with a baby, rushes snoring at the riding elephant and the mahout (elephant driver) does not always manage to hold the elephant. If the elephant is well trained and the mahout is experienced, then when the rhinoceros attacks, the elephant remains in place, and the rhinoceros, before reaching a few steps, stops or turns to the side. But if the elephant can’t stand it, turns and starts running away through the tall grass and bushes, then it’s difficult for the rider to stay on his back. It is almost impossible to escape from an attacking rhinoceros. A disturbed rhinoceros makes a loud snoring sound. The female, probably calling her cubs, grunts. The same grunt is made from time to time by peacefully grazing animals. A roar is made by wounded or caught rhinoceroses, and during the rut a special whistling sound is heard that the female makes. Rhinos have a rut every month and a half. At this time, the female pursues the male. The female first takes part in reproduction at 3-4 years of age, the male at 7-9 years of age. After 16.5 months, a baby is born weighing about 65 kg, pink, with all folds and outgrowths, but without a horn and with a pig-shaped muzzle. Rhinoceroses live about 70 years.
The rhinoceros is a unique representative of the fauna of the world, massive and large-scale in its volume. A kind of small armed and armored fortress that runs on four legs.
2.The rhinoceros is the second largest land animal after the elephant. The length of its body is on average 4 - 4.5 meters, height 1-2 meters, and weight 2-4 tons.
3. The white rhinoceros ranks second in the world as the largest animal. Its length is about 4.5 meters, and its height is 1.5-2 m. Its weight ranges from 2 to 5 tons. The black rhinoceros is slightly smaller than its counterpart, but is also impressive in size.
4. Now there are 5 species of rhinoceroses left on Earth: Indian, Javanese and Sumatran - in Asia, black and white - in Africa. All species of rhinoceroses are endangered and are listed in the Red Book.
5. The extinct species of rhinoceros Indricotherium is considered the largest mammal that once lived on the planet (reached up to 8 meters in height and weighed up to 20 tons).
Asian rhinoceroses
6. In Asian rhinoceroses, the skin forms deep folds, so it seems as if the animal is wearing a shell consisting of separate plates.
7. The closest relatives of rhinoceroses are tapirs, horses and zebras.
8. Black rhinoceroses have a peculiar upper lip adapted for grasping, which helps them easily grab leaves and branches.
9. Rhinoceroses are grazing animals, so their habitats are savannas and grasslands.
10.Depending on the species, as well as the environment in which rhinoceroses live in the wild or in captivity, they can live from 35 to 50 years.
Black rhinoceros
11.Black rhinoceroses eat more than 200 types of vegetation. He especially likes hard, thorny plants.
12.The rhinoceros has very thick skin - up to 1.5 centimeters thick. Despite the fact that the skin is very thick, it is quite sensitive to sunlight and insect bites. Rhinoceroses often roll in the mud to protect themselves from the scorching sun and annoying insects.
13. The Javan rhinoceros is the smallest - from 650 to 1000 kilograms.
14. Some species, for example, black and white rhinoceroses, have two horns, while other representatives of this family, for example, Javan rhinoceroses, have only one.
15. Female rhinoceros bear offspring for 15-16 months, so they can reproduce once every 2-3 years.
16.Sometimes female white rhinoceroses gather and live in groups.
17. The horn of these animals is not bone, as you might think when looking at it, but consists of a highly durable protein - keratin, found in our hair and nails.
18.Rhino horns are used in folklore oriental medicine as a cure for fever and rheumatism. They are also used to make decorative items such as dagger handles.
19.Rhinoceroses have poor vision, so they cannot distinguish surrounding objects well, but thanks to good developed sense of smell and excellent hearing, they are remarkably oriented in space, and also sense the approach of the enemy from afar.
20.The main purpose of rhinoceros horns is to separate bushes and thickets in order to get food for themselves.
Sumatran rhinoceroses
21. The Sumatran rhinoceros lives in impenetrable forests and leads a reclusive lifestyle.
22.The closest relative of the Sumatran rhinoceros is the woolly rhinoceros, which became extinct in the 9th-14th centuries BC.
23. In 1948, in order to clear the territory of Kenya for agriculture, hunters with a license to shoot rhinoceroses were hired. Such 1 hunter killed 500 rhinoceroses in 1 day.
24. In the 70-80s of the 20th century, to protect the populations of the Indian rhinoceros in the Indian national park The Kaziranga were authorized to shoot to kill any armed person who was not a park employee.
25.The maximum speed at which a rhinoceros can run is 50 km/h.
Indian rhinoceros
26.The Indian rhinoceros differs from its African counterparts not only in its skin and long horns, but also in its love of water. In hot weather, Indian rhinoceroses go into the water and stay there until the heat subsides. African rhinoceroses do not resort to such cooling methods.
27. Rhinoceroses are predominantly nocturnal and feed only on plants. Animals can travel long distances in search of food.
28.To eat, a rhinoceros needs at least 70 kg of vegetation per day.
29.The Indian rhinoceros was used in military operations by Indian maharajas.
30. Baby rhinos are born without any horns.
31.Small redneck birds have a symbiotic relationship with rhinoceroses. They remove ticks from the surface of their skin and also warn rhinos of danger with loud screams. In the language of peoples East Africa These birds are called "askari wa kifaru" in Swahili, meaning "protectors of the rhinoceros".
32.The horn of this animal is 1/3 of its length. And the largest horn was recorded to be 1 meter and 25 cm long.
33.The names “white” and “black” do not at all mean the real color of rhinoceroses. "White" is just a misunderstanding of the African word "weit", which means "wide" and describes the wide mouth of this rhinoceros. Another type of rhinoceros was called "black" to somehow distinguish it from the white one, or perhaps because this rhinoceros likes to roll in dark mud to protect its skin and appears darker.
34.The largest population of white rhinoceroses lives in South Africa, small populations can also be found in Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana, as well as neighboring countries.
35.Black rhinoceroses live in the south and west of the African continent, mainly in Tanzania, Kenya, Zimbabwe and South Africa.
It is not even bone and looks like a layered skin growth. If the horn breaks off, which happens quite rarely, blood flows out of the wound, and over time a new “decoration” grows. The horn, together with powerful hooves, is the main weapon of rhinoceroses.
The most amazing feature of Indian rhinoceroses is their thick skin, which forms loose folds on the neck, in front of the sacrum and behind the shoulder blades, which gives the impression that the animals are clad in armor and gives them a very “knightly” appearance. This impression is further enhanced by the convex tubercles, similar to iron rivets, that cover the upper parts of the legs and sides, with no hair on the skin. It is not for nothing that Indian rhinos are also called armored rhinos. Only the ears and the tip of the tail are covered with stiff bristles. The head is massive, with small eyes, the upper lip is grasping. On the lower jaw there is a pair of fangs (pointed incisors), which animals use only in rare cases when they have to attack an enemy.
Indian rhinoceroses are herbivores. The basis of nutrition is aquatic plants, young shoots of reeds and elephant grass. They feed in the morning and evening.
Indian rhinoceroses are very fond of water, in which they spend a lot of time. They are excellent swimmers and can even swim across big rivers. These animals never go far from water. They swim all day long or simply lie in liquid mud, especially in fairly hot weather, when they are overwhelmed by numerous insects in swampy places. Due to their passion for water, Indian rhinoceroses prefer to live in swampy savannas and bushes.
Pregnancy in female Indian rhinos is quite long (from 475 to 485 days). They give birth to only one cub weighing about 70 kg, pink in color, with all the outgrowths and folds, but without a horn. Babies are fed milk for six to ten months. Therefore, a female can produce offspring once every three years.
Because of their enormous strength, armored rhinoceroses have no enemies other than humans. Huge and powerful elephants retreat before rhinoceroses; even a tiger does not dare to attack an adult rhinoceros. Not feeling danger, rhinoceroses do not run away when any animals or humans appear, but continue to graze. They only rush into as a last resort against those who disturb your peace. Heavy and seemingly quite clumsy, they are quite fast and can move at speeds of up to 40 km/h, while jumping over large ditches.
Currently, Indian rhinoceroses are found only in India and Nepal. They live for about 70 years.
Security status: Vulnerable.
Listed in the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature
The Indian rhinoceros is the most close-up view of the three Asian rhinoceroses and, along with , holds the status of the most big view rhinoceroses This species has one horn, about 20-60 centimeters long, brown skin with folds, which gives it the appearance of armor. Upper lip half tenacious. Weight ranges from 1800 to 2700 kilograms. The color is gray-brown, and pinkish in the folds of the skin.
Indian rhinoceroses are mostly solitary, except when adults come out to graze or wallow in the mud. Males have large territories, which are not very well guarded and often coincide with the territories of other males. Sexual maturity in females occurs at the age of 5-7 years, while males mature only at 10 years. Reproduction occurs throughout the year. The cub is born alone and remains with its mother until the next one is born. The interval between pregnancies is 1-3 years, and its duration is 15-16 months. The Indian rhinoceros is a herbivore. Its diet consists almost entirely of grasses, but there are also leaves, branches of bushes and trees, fruits, and aquatic plants.
Indian rhinoceros doing water procedures
Hunting has been an important historical factor in the decline of the Indian rhinoceros population. Over the last century, rhinoceroses have suffered from sport hunting by Europeans and Asians. These animals were also killed due to damage to agricultural land. In the early 1900s, hunting was banned in Assam, Bengal and Myanmar.
Poaching of the Indian rhinoceros remains a constant threat due to its prized horn. Although there is no scientific proof The medicinal value of the horn is used in traditional Asian medicine, primarily to treat various diseases such as epilepsy, fever and strokes. The horn of an Asian species of rhinoceros is believed to be more effective than African species. Despite the active protection of the species and the ban on trade in rhinoceros horn on the international market, it can be bought without problems in Asia.
The huge reduction in the habitat of the Indian rhinoceros is due to the disappearance of alluvial plain grasslands. Today, the need for a growing human population to expand its territory remains the main threat. Many protected areas where animals are kept have already reached their limit and cannot support the growing population of these animals. This leads to conflict between rhinoceros and humans, as the species leaves the protected area and goes to hunt for food in nearby villages. Indian rhinoceroses, especially females, kill several people every year in India and Nepal.
History of the species
The habitat of the great one-horned rhinoceros in ancient times occupied the entire expanse of the Indo-Gangetic Plain in northern Pakistan, most of northern India (including Assam), Nepal, northern Bangladesh and Myanmar. They mainly lived in alluvial lowland pastures, where the grass reached 8 meters in height, as well as in adjacent swamps and forests. At the beginning of the 20th century, the species was very close to extinction. In 1975, there were only 600 surviving Indian rhinoceros in wild India and Nepal.
Nowadays
By 2011, thanks to conservation efforts, the Indian rhinoceros population numbered 2,913 individuals in India, Nepal, the grasslands of Assam, and northern Bengal. Currently, the species is found in crop-growing and grassland areas, as well as in modified forests. The Indian rhinoceros is considered the most numerous of the three species of Asian rhinoceros. At least half of the total number of rhinoceroses is found in the Kaziranga National Park, Assam state in India and remains a key reserve for this species. There are about 500 individuals of the species in Chitwan National Park in Nepal. Thanks to strict protection, the rhino population is growing at a rate of about 5% per year.