The rhinoceros is a blind giant. Rare black rhinoceros born at Australian Taronga Zoo Rhino lives at Australian Zoo

Before you is the smallest representative of the rhinoceros family - the Sumatran rhinoceros. The genus is on the verge of extinction, the total number of Sumatran rhinos on the planet does not exceed 275 individuals. These images were taken at the Cincinnati Zoo, which is participating in a program to restore the population of these rare rhinos.

Sumatran rhinoceros (lat. Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) is a species of mammal from the monotypic genus of Sumatran rhinos (Dicerorhinus) of the rhino family. It is the smallest of all five rhino species. It has two horns, like African species.

Sumatran rhinoceros historically inhabited rain forests, swamps and cloud forests in India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and China, where they lived in Sichuan province. Currently, only 5 populations survive in the wild: three in Sumatra, one in Borneo, and one in the Malay Peninsula. At the same time, the survival of the latter is in doubt. The total number of Sumatran rhinos is estimated at about 275 individuals. The extinction of this species is primarily due to poaching for horns, which are highly valued in Chinese medicine.

The first documented Sumatran rhinoceros was shot in 1793 in the western part of the island of Sumatra, 16 km from Fort Marlborough. Drawings and descriptions of this animal were sent to the naturalist Joseph Banks, President of the Royal Society of London, who published a document based on the same year. In 1814, the scientist Grigory Ivanovich Fischer von Waldheim gave the species a scientific name.

The generic name Dicerorhinus comes from the Greek words δι ("two"), κέρας ("horn"), and ρινος ("nose"). The specific epithet sumatrensis means the name of the island of Sumatra, where the Sumatran rhinoceros was first discovered. Carl Linnaeus originally placed all rhinos in one genus, hence the scientific name was Rhinoceros sumatrensis. In 1828, British naturalist and anatomist Josha Brooks identified the Sumatran rhinoceros as a separate genus, Didermocerus. The German zoologist Constantin Gloger proposed another name in 1841, Dicerorhinus, and the British zoologist John Gray proposed the name Ceratorhinus in 1868. The International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature approved the generic name Dicerorhinus in 1977.

There are three subspecies of the Sumatran rhinoceros:

Western Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis sumatrensis). 170-230 individuals survived, mainly in the Bukit Barisan Selatan and Gunung Leuser National Parks in Sumatra. About 75 rhinos may also be found in Peninsular Malaysia. The main threats to this subspecies are habitat loss and poaching. There is some genetic difference between western and eastern Sumatran rhinos. For some time, the Malaysian rhino was distinguished as a separate subspecies, but subsequently was recognized as similar to the western Sumatran.
The Eastern Sumatran rhinoceros, or Borneo rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis harrissoni) was formerly distributed throughout Kalimantan. Currently, about 50 individuals have survived that live in the state of Sabah, which belongs to Malaysia. There are unconfirmed reports of surviving populations in the state of Sarawak and the Indonesian part of the island of Kalimantan. This subspecies takes its name from Tom Harrison, who worked with the zoological world of Borneo in the 1960s. The eastern subspecies is the smallest of the Sumatran rhinos.
The northern Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis lasiotis) was once common in India and Bangladesh. Currently declared extinct. According to unconfirmed reports, a small population could have survived in Burma, but the political situation in the country does not allow us to find out. Lasiotis means "hairy ears" in Greek. More recent studies have shown that the ear hair of northern rhinos is no longer than that of other subspecies. However, the northern Sumatran rhinoceros has remained a distinct subspecies due to its larger size.

In the early Eocene, the Sumatran rhinoceros separated from the rest of the odd-toed ungulates. Comparison of mitochondrial DNA shows that the ancestors of modern rhinos diverged from the ancestors of equines about 50 million years ago. Representatives of rhinos settled Asia at the beginning of the Miocene.

Paleontological studies show that the genus of Sumatran rhinos existed as early as 16-23 million years ago. Numerous fossil species have been assigned to the genus Dicerorhinus, but there are no other extant members of the genus other than the Sumatran rhinoceros. Molecular analysis suggests that the Sumatran rhinoceros diverged from four other rhinoceros species about 25.9 million (±1.9 million) years ago. There are three hypotheses that reflect the connection of the Sumatran rhinoceros and other surviving species: the first claims a close relationship with African African rhinos (white and black), evidence of which can be the presence of two horns in the Sumatran rhinoceros; the second hypothesis considers the Sumatran rhinoceros as a relative of Asian species (Indian and Javanese), which is explained by the proximity of their ranges; and finally, the third hypothesis is based on the fact that two African rhinoceros, two Asiatic and Sumatran represent separately existing lineages that diverged about 25.9 million ago. This hypothesis is supported by recent genetic analyses. Which groups dispersed first remains unknown.

Morphological features indicate a close relationship between the Sumatran rhinoceros and the extinct woolly rhinoceros. The woolly rhinoceros, so called for its layer of hair, appeared in China, and by the Upper Pleistocene settled on the Eurasian continent from Korea to Spain. It survived the last ice age, but, like mammoths and other megafauna, it died out about 10,000 years ago.

The height at the withers of an adult Sumatran rhinoceros is about 120-145 cm, body length is about 250 cm, weight is 500-800 kg, although large individuals in zoos can weigh up to 1000 kg. Like the African species, the Sumatran rhinoceros has two horns. The nasal horn is longer than the posterior one, and reaches 15-25 cm in length (the record length is 81 cm). The length of the hind horn, as a rule, does not exceed 10 cm. The horns are dark gray or black. They are longer in males than in females, although there are no other signs of sexual dimorphism.

Two thick folds of skin encircle the body of the Sumatran rhinoceros in the area between the front and hind legs. On the neck, the folds are somewhat smaller. The hair is reddish-brown in color, it can be either thick or completely absent; the most dense coat is present in young individuals. In the wild, the color of rhinos is difficult to determine, as their body is constantly covered in mud. The thickest hair grows around the ears and at the tip of the tail.

Sumatran rhinos, like other rhinos, have poor eyesight. However, they are fast and agile, easily climbing mountains and overcoming steep slopes and river banks.

A male extinct northern Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis lasiotis) with a record-breaking large horn. London Zoo, 1904

Sumatran rhinos lead a solitary lifestyle. The exception is the breeding season and the period of raising offspring. Each individual has a specific area; the area of ​​such a site is about 50 km² for males and about 10-15 km² for females. Territories of females usually do not intersect, while in males this phenomenon is quite common. Whether fights occur in such cases is not known for certain. Site marking is done by scraping the soil with your feet and leaving excrement.

During the rainy season, rhinoceroses rise to the mountains, and in cold, dry periods, they return to the lowlands again.

Sumatran rhinos make trails in their habitats. The trails are divided into two types: the main ones, which are used to move between important areas, such as salt licks, and the side ones, during which the rhinos do not trample the vegetation they need. The trails can also pass through fairly deep water bodies (more than 1.5 m deep). Sumatran rhinos are good swimmers.

The diet consists of young trees, leaves, fruits, branches and shoots. Rhinos consume up to 50 kg of food per day. Feeding occurs after sunset and early in the morning. By examining excrement samples, scientists were able to identify more than 100 types of food consumed by the rhinoceros. Most of the diet consists of young trees with a trunk diameter of 1-6 cm. Plant foods are high in fiber and moderate in protein. An important role in the nutrition of rhinos is played by salt marshes, which are a source of salt. In their absence, rhinos eat plants rich in inorganic substances.
Females reach sexual maturity at the age of 6-7 years, males - at the age of about 10 years. There is no exact data on the gestation period of the Sumatran rhinoceros; in different sources, the period varies from 7–8 to 15–16 months. 1 cub is born, the average weight of a newborn is 23-60 kg. Lactation lasts about 15 months, the young remain with the female during the first 2-3 years of life. In the wild, reproduction occurs at intervals of 4-5 years.

The breeding behavior of Sumatran rhinos has been studied in captivity. Sexual relations begin with courtship by males, raising the tail, urinating and hitting each other in the face and genitals. The nature of courtship is largely similar to that of black rhinos. Males are often aggressive towards females, sometimes even killing them during courtship. And if in the wild a female can run away from an angry male, then in captivity this is quite problematic, which is one of the reasons for the low success of breeding programs.

The estrus period lasts about 24 hours, and repeats every 21-25 days. The duration of copulation is 30-50 minutes, similar to other rhinos. They have a long copulatory period, which causes prolonged sexual arousal. While researchers have observed successful concepts, all captive pregnancies ended in failure until 2001, when the first Sumatran rhinoceros was born at the zoo. Research into these failures at the Cincinnati Zoo led to the discovery that Sumatran rhinoceros eggs are produced after mating, and progesterone levels are unpredictable. Captive breeding success in rhinos was achieved in 2001, 2004 and 2007 by administering additional doses of progestin to females.

Life expectancy in the wild is 30-45 years. In captivity, the record longevity is for a female northern Sumatran rhinoceros who lived at the London Zoo for 32 years and 8 months before her death in 1900.

Scientific classification:
Domain eukaryotes
Kingdom Animals

Type chordates

Subtype Vertebrates
Infratype jawed
Superclass quadrupeds
Class mammals
Subclass Beasts
Infraclass Placental

Detachment Odd-toed ungulates

Family Rhinoceros
Genus Sumatran rhinos
View Sumatran rhinoceros (lat. Dicerorhinus sumatrensis (Fischer, 1814))

The rhinoceros is an animal of the class mammals, subclass animals, infraclass placentals, superorder laurasotherium, order equids, family rhinos (lat. Rhinocerotidae).

The Latin name of the animal has Greek roots, the word Rhino is translated as "nose", and ceros means "horn". And this is a very apt name, because all five extant species of rhinoceros have at least one horn growing from the nasal bone of a mammal.

Rhinoceros: description and photo. What does the animal look like?

The rhinoceros is the largest land animal after. Modern rhinos reach a length of 2–5 meters, a height at the shoulders of 1–3 m, and weigh from 1 to 3.6 tons. The color of their skin, as it seems at first glance, is reflected in the names of the species: white, black, and everything is clear here. But it was not there. In fact, the natural color of the skin of white and black rhinos is about the same - it is gray-brown. And they are named so because they like to wallow in soils of different colors, which paint the surface of the body of rhinos in different shades.

By the way, the name "white" was generally assigned to the white rhino by mistake. Someone mistook the Boer word "wijde" (weide), which means "wide", for the English word "white" (white) - "white". The Africans so named the animal for its massive square muzzle.

Rhinos have a long, narrow head with a steeply sloping forehead. A saddle-like concavity forms between the forehead and the nasal bones. The disproportionately small eyes of animals have oval brown or black pupils, and short fluffy eyelashes grow on the upper eyelid.

Rhinos have a well-developed sense of smell: it is on this that animals rely more than on other senses. The volume of their nasal cavity exceeds the volume of the brain. Also, rhinos have well-developed hearing: their tube-like ears constantly rotate, picking up even faint sounds. But the vision of the giants is bad. Rhinos can only see moving objects from a distance of no more than 30 meters. The location of the eyes on the sides of the head prevents them from seeing objects well: they first see the object with one eye, and then with the other.

The upper lip of the Indian and black rhinos is very mobile. It hangs down a little and closes the lower lip. Other species have straight, clumsy lips.

On the jaws of these animals, some teeth are constantly missing. In Asian species, incisors are present in the dental system throughout life; in African rhinos, incisors are absent in both jaws. Rhinos have no fangs, but each jaw grows 7 molars, which are greatly erased with age. The lower jaw of the Indian and black rhinos is also decorated with pointed and elongated incisors.

The main distinguishing feature of rhinos is the presence of horns growing from the nasal or frontal bone. More often it is one or two unpaired outgrowths that have a dark gray or black color. Rhinoceros horns do not consist of bone tissue, as in bulls, or, but of keratin protein. This substance consists of needles, human hair and nails, bird feathers, armadillo shell. The composition of the outgrowths of rhinos is closer to the horny part of their hooves. They develop from the epidermis of the skin. In young animals, when wounded, the horn is restored; in adult mammals, it no longer grows back. The functions of the horns have not yet been studied enough, but scientists have found that females in which the horn is removed cease to be interested in their offspring. It is believed that their main purpose is to move trees and grasses apart in thickets. This version is supported by changes in the appearance of the horns in adults. They become polished, and their front surface is somewhat flattened.

The Javanese and Indian rhinos grow 1 horn from 20 to 60 cm long. The white and Sumatran rhinos have 2 horns each, and the black one has 2 to 5 horns.

Indian rhino horn (left) and white rhino horn (right). Left photo credit: Ltshears, CC BY-SA 3.0; right photo credit: Revital Salomon, CC BY-SA 3.0

The white rhino has the longest horn, it grows up to 158 cm in length.

Rhinos are heavy, thick-skinned mammals with three-toed, short, massive limbs. At the end of each toe they have a small, wide hoof.

The footprints of the animal are easy to recognize: they look like a clover leaf, as the rhinoceros rests on the surface of the soil with all its fingers.

The most “woolly” modern rhinoceros is the Sumatran rhinoceros, it is covered with bristle-like brown hairs, which are densest in young individuals.

The skin of the Indian rhinoceros is gathered into voluminous folds, which makes this animal look like a knight in armor. Even his tail is hidden in a special recess in the shell.

Where does the rhinoceros live?

In our time, from the once numerous family, only 5 species of rhinos belonging to 4 genera have survived, all of them have become rare and are protected by people from people. Below are the data from the International Union for Conservation of Nature on the number of these animals (data verified on January 5, 2018).

Three species of rhinoceros live in Southeast Asia:

• The most numerous of them Indian rhinoceros(lat. Rhinoceros unicornis), lives in India and Nepal, inhabiting floodplain meadows. The species is vulnerable, the number of adults in May 2007 was 2575 units. 378 of them live in Nepal and approximately 2,200 live in India. The rhinoceros is listed in the International Red Book.
• Worse is the case with Sumatran rhinos(lat. Dicerorhinus sumatrensis), the number of which does not exceed 275 adults. They are found on the island of Sumatra (in Indonesia) and in Malaysia, they settle in swampy savannahs and mountain rainforests. Perhaps the habitat of several individuals includes the north of Myanmar, the state of Sarawak in Malaysia, the island of Kalimantan (Borneo) in Indonesia. The species is endangered and listed in the International Red Book.
• Javan rhinoceros(lat. Rhinoceros sondaicus) was in a particularly deplorable state: the mammal can only be found on the island of Java in specially created reserves for its conservation. The Javanese lives in flat glades of permanently humid tropical forests, in thickets of shrubs and grass. Animals are on the verge of extinction, and their number does not exceed 50 individuals. The species is listed in the International Red Book.

Two species of rhinoceros live in Africa:

• white rhino(lat. Ceratotherium simum) lives in the Republic of South Africa, was introduced to Zambia, and also reintroduced to Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Uganda, Zimbabwe. Inhabits dry savannas. Presumably, in the Congo, South Sudan and Sudan, mammals have become extinct. The species is close to a vulnerable position and is listed in the International Red Book, but thanks to protection, its number is gradually increasing, although back in 1892 the white rhino was considered extinct. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the number of white rhinos on December 31, 2010 was approximately 20,170 units.
• (lat. Diceros bicornis) is found in countries such as Mozambique, Tanzania, Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Kenya, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Also, a certain number of individuals were reintroduced in the territory of Botswana, the Republic of Malawi, Swaziland and Zambia. The animal prefers arid places: sparse forests, acacia groves, steppes, shrub savannas, the Namib Desert. It can also be found in mountainous areas up to 2700 meters above sea level. In general, the species is on the verge of extinction. According to the International Red Book, by the end of 2010, there were about 4880 individuals of this species in nature.

There are slightly more white and black rhinos than their Asian counterparts, but the white rhinoceros has been declared completely extinct several times.

Lifestyle of rhinos in the wild

These mammals often live alone, without forming herds. Only white rhinos can gather in small groups, and females with cubs of all kinds exist together for some time. Female and male rhinos are together only during mating. Despite such a love of loneliness, they have friends in nature. These are dragoons, or buffalo starlings (lat. Buphagus), small birds that constantly accompany not only rhinos, but also elephants, buffaloes, and wildebeest. Birds peck insects from the back of mammals, and also warn them with a cry of approaching danger. From the Swahili language, the name of these birds askari wa kifaru is translated as "defenders of rhinos." Ticks from the skin of rhinos also like to be eaten away and waiting for animals in their mud baths.

Rhinos strictly guard their territory. A piece of pasture and a reservoir on it are in the "personal use" of one individual. Over the years, animals have trodden their paths on the territory, arranged places for taking mud baths. And African rhinos also organize separate latrines. For a long time, impressive heaps of manure are formed in them, which serve as an aromatic landmark and do not allow losing their territory. Rhinos mark their lands not only with manure: old males mark areas where they often graze with odorous marks, spraying grass and bushes with urine.

Black rhinos are more active early in the morning, as well as at dusk and at night: at this time of day they try to get enough, and it is very difficult for such giants to do this. During the day, the rhinoceros sleeps in the shade, lying on its stomach or side, or spends time lying in the mud. The sleep of these lumps is very strong, during it they forget about any danger. At this time, you can easily sneak up on them and even grab them by the tail. Other species of rhino are active both during the day and at night.

Rhinos are cautious animals: they try to stay away from people, but if they feel threatened, they actively defend themselves by attacking first. Rhinos run at a maximum speed of up to 40-48 km / h, but not for long. Black rhinos are more quick-tempered, attack quickly, and it is impossible to stop such a colossus. Their white counterparts are more peaceful, and human-fed cubs become completely tame and are happy to communicate with people on any occasion. Mature females even allow themselves to be milked.

Rhinoceroses are quite noisy animals: they snort, sniff, purr, squeal, low. Grunting and even neighing can be heard when animals graze peacefully. Anxious mammals make sounds similar to loud snoring. Females grunt, beckoning to their cubs, who squeal, having lost sight of their mother. Wounded and captured rhinos roar loudly. And during the rut (reproduction period), a whistle is heard from the females.

Most of these mammals do not know how to swim at all, and rivers become insurmountable obstacles for them. Indian and Sumatran rhinoceroses swim well across reservoirs.

How long does a rhinoceros live?

Rhinos live long enough. In zoos, their life expectancy often reaches 50 years. The black rhinoceros in the wild lives 35-40 years, the white rhinoceros lives 45 years, the Sumatran rhinoceros lives 32 years, and the Indian and Javan rhinos live no more than 70 years.

What does a rhinoceros eat?

Rhinos are strict vegetarians that eat up to 72 kg of plant foods per day. The main food of the white rhino is grass. With its wide, rather mobile lips, it can also pick up fallen leaves from the ground. Black and Indian rhinos eat the shoots of trees and shrubs. Herbivorous animals pull out acacia sprouts right from the root and destroy them in large numbers. Their wedge-shaped upper lip (proboscis) allows them to grab and break off hanging branches. The black rhinoceros loves elephant grass (lat. Pennisetum purpureum), aquatic plants, spurges and young reed shoots. The favorite food of the Indian rhinoceros is sugar cane. The Sumatran rhinoceros feeds on fruit, bamboo, foliage, bark, and young shoots of trees and shrubs. He also loves figs, mangoes and mangosteens. The food of the Javan rhinoceros is grass, foliage of vines, trees and shrubs.

In zoos, rhinos are fed grass, and hay is harvested for them in the winter, in addition to which they rely on vitamin supplements. Black and Indian species must be added to the feed branches of trees and shrubs.

Rhinos feed at different times of the day. Black, basically, grazes in the morning and in the evening, other species can lead an active lifestyle both day and night. Depending on the weather, an animal needs from 50 to 180 liters of water per day. During dry periods, odd-toed ungulates can do without water for 4-5 days.

Rhino breeding

Sexual maturity of the male occurs at about the 7th year of life. But he can proceed to reproduction only after he acquires his own territory, which he can defend. This requires an additional 2-3 years. The mating season for some rhinos begins in the spring, but for most species there is no confinement to the season: they have a rut every 1.5 months. And then serious fights begin between the males. Before mating, the male and female chase each other and may even fight.

Pregnancy of the female lasts an average of 1.5 years. Once every 2-3 years, only one relatively small cub is born to her. A newborn rhinoceros can weigh from 25 kg (as in white rhinos) to 60 kg (as in Indian rhinos). In a white rhinoceros, a baby is born hairy. In a few minutes he is on his feet, the day after birth he can follow his mother, and after three months he begins to eat plants. But still, the main part of the nutrition of a small rhinoceros is mother's milk.

The female feeds the cub with milk for a whole year, but he stays with her for 2.5 years. If during this period the mother has another cub, then the female drives the older one away, although most often he returns soon.

Enemies of rhinos in nature

All animals are wary of an adult rhinoceros. Only man ruthlessly destroys it to this day, despite all the prohibitions and protective measures.

Elephants treat rhinos “respectfully”, try not to climb “on the rampage”. But if they happen to collide at a watering place, and the rhinoceros does not give way, then a fight cannot be avoided. The duel often ends with the death of the rhinoceros.

Many predators like to feast on the delicious meat of rhino cubs: Nile crocodiles, etc. At the same time, equids are protected not only by horns, but also by fangs of the lower jaw (Indian and black). In a fight between an adult Indian rhinoceros and a tiger, the latter has no chance. Even the female easily copes with the striped predator.

Types of rhinos, names and photos

• White rhinoceros (lat. Ceratotherium simum)- the largest rhinoceros in the world and the least aggressive among the representatives of rhinos. The body length of the white rhino is 5 meters, the height at the withers is 2 m, and the weight of the rhinoceros usually reaches 2–2.5 tons, although some adult males weigh up to 4–5 tons. One or two horns grow from the nasal bones of the beast. The back of the animal is concave, the belly hangs down, the neck is short and thick. The mating season of representatives of this species begins in November - December or July - September. At this time, males and females form pairs for 1-3 weeks. The female's pregnancy lasts 16 weeks, after which she brings one cub weighing 25 kg. They become sexually mature at 7-10 years. Unlike other species, white rhinos can live in groups of up to 18 individuals. More often they combine females and their cubs. In case of danger, the herd takes a defensive position, hiding the babies inside the circle.

The white rhino eats grass. The daily rhythm of representatives of this species is highly dependent on the weather. In the heat, they take refuge in mud pools and shade, in cool weather they seek refuge in the bush, in moderate air temperatures they can graze both day and night.

• Black rhinoceros (lat.Diceros bicornis) widely known for its aggressiveness towards humans and other species. The rhinoceros weighs 2 tons, its body length can be 3 m, and the height at the withers reaches 1.8 m. 2 horns stand out clearly on the large head of the animal. Some subspecies are owners of 3 or 5 horns. The upper horn is often longer than the lower one, reaching 40-60 cm in length. A feature of the black rhinoceros is a mobile upper lip: it is massive, slightly pointed and slightly covers the lower part of the mouth. The natural skin color of the animal is brownish-gray. But depending on the shade of the soil in which the rhinoceros likes to wallow, its color can be very different. It is only where volcanic soils are common that the color of the skin of rhinos is truly black. Some representatives of the species lead a nomadic lifestyle, the other is a settled one. They live alone. Pairs found in the savannas are females with cubs. The breeding season of the black rhinoceros does not depend on the season. The female carries the cub for 16 months, the baby is born with a weight of 35 kg. Just a few minutes after birth, the little rhinoceros gets up on its feet and begins to walk. The mother feeds him with her milk for about two years. She gives birth to a new baby in 2–4 years, and until that time the first child is with her. Animals feed on young shrubs and their branches.

An adult black rhinoceros has few enemies in nature. Only poses some danger to him. The main competitor is the elephant. Unlike other species of rhino, the black is not aggressive towards members of its own species. There were cases when females helped a pregnant tribeswoman, supporting her during difficult transitions. When at rest, the black rhinoceros walks with its head low, and raises it when looking around or angry. Along with lions, buffaloes and elephants, black rhinos are among the African Big Five as the most dangerous animals on the continent and at the same time the most coveted hunting trophies. The horn of the black rhinoceros, like the horns of all other members of the family, has been considered medicinal since ancient times. For these reasons, the mammal has always been brutally exterminated, but this has been especially intense over the past 100 years. Since 1960, the global black rhino population has declined by 97.6%. In 2010, there were approximately 4880 animals in it. For this reason, it was included in the Red Book of the Earth under the heading "Taxa in critical condition".

• Indian rhinoceros (lat. Rhinoceros unicornis) lives in savannas and places overgrown with bushes. The largest individuals reach a length of 2 meters, a height at the withers up to 1.7 m and a body weight of 2.5 tons. The thick skin of the animal with a pink tint is collected in massive folds. The tail of the Indian rhinoceros, which is also called one-horned, is adorned with a tassel of coarse black hair. The horn of females is similar to a small bulge on the nose. In males, it is clearly visible and grows up to 60 cm. During the day, the Indian rhinoceros lies in mud solutions. In a pond, several individuals can easily coexist side by side. Benevolent bumpkins in the water let many birds on their backs: starlings, bee-eaters, which peck blood-sucking insects from their skin. Their peacefulness instantly disappears as soon as they come out of the puddles. Males often fight and leave shallow welts on each other's skin. With the onset of dusk, herbivores come out in search of food. They eat reed stalks, aquatic plants and elephant grass. Indian rhinos are good swimmers. Cases have been recorded when their representatives easily overcame the wide Brahmaputra River.

A female rhinoceros who has a calf may suddenly attack travelers. Often she rushes at elephants with riders on their backs. A properly trained elephant stops, then the rhinoceros also freezes in the distance. But if the elephant takes flight, then the driver may not be able to resist and fall. Then it will be difficult for him, because it is almost impossible to escape from the attacking rhinoceros. Indian rhinos live up to 70 years. The older the animal becomes, the more lonely it leads. Each individual has its own territory, which the beast carefully guards and marks with manure.

Sexual maturity of females occurs at 3-4 years, males - at 7-9 years. The interval between female pregnancies can be 3-4 years. Indian rhinos have one of the longest gestation periods, lasting 17 months. All the time before the onset of a new pregnancy, the mother takes care of the baby. During the mating season, males fight not only among themselves, but also with females chasing them. Males must prove their strength and ability to defend themselves.

• - This is the oldest representative of the family. The skin of the animal with a thickness of 16 mm is covered with bristles, which are especially dense in young individuals. For this feature, the species is sometimes called the "hairy rhinoceros". A large fold of skin runs along its back and behind the shoulders, skin folds hang over the eyes of the animal. There are incisors on the lower jaw of the odd-toed ungulate, and a tassel of hair flaunts on the ears. The armored rhinoceros has two horns, the front of which grows up to 90 cm. But the back is so small (5 cm in females) that the animal seems to be one-horned. The height of the Sumatran rhino at the withers is 1.4 m, its length reaches 2.3 m, and the animal weighs 2.25 tons. This is the smallest species of modern rhinos, but it still remains one of the largest animals on earth.

Day and night, the animal lies in muddy puddles, which it often does on its own, having previously cleared the area around it. It becomes active at dusk and during the day. The Sumatran rhinoceros eats bamboo, fruits, figs, mangoes, leaves, branches and bark of wild plants, and sometimes visits fields sown by humans. This is a fairly dexterous animal, it easily overcomes steep slopes and can swim. The giant leads a solitary lifestyle. It marks its territory with excrement and scars on tree trunks, left by it with the help of horns. The female carries the cub for 12 months. She brings one baby every three years and feeds him with milk until 18 months. The mother teaches the cub to find water, food, shelter, places for taking mud baths. The female reaches sexual maturity at the age of 4 years, the male at 7 years.

• now found only in the west of the island of Java in the reserve of the Ujung Kulon Peninsula. The people of Java call it "wara" or "warak".

In size, it is close to the Indian, and they belong to the same genus, but the physique of the warak is more lean. The height at the withers varies from 1.4 to 1.7 m, the size (length) without a tail is 3 m, and rhinos weigh 1.4 tons. Females are completely devoid of horns, and in males the length of a single horn is only 25 cm. the skin fold of individuals of this species rises, rather than folds back, as in the Indian rhinoceros. His favorite food is the leaves of young trees, he also eats the foliage of shrubs and vines.

The rhinoceros is one of the iconic animals of Africa, a kind of hallmark of the "black continent", it is not without reason that it is included in the "Big Five African" along with the buffalo, lion and leopard, the very five animals that in the old days were the most honorable hunting trophies safari. And the rhinoceros has rather poor eyesight, but as they say, with its size and power, these are no longer its problems.

Rhinoceros: description, structure, characteristics. What does a rhinoceros look like?

The Latin name of the rhinoceros - Rhinocerotidae, is essentially identical to ours, since "Rhino" means "nose", and "ceros" horn, it turns out "rhinoceros", this name very aptly characterizes this beast, because the large horn on the nose, growing from the nasal bone is an essential attribute of all decent rhinos (however, not decent ones either).

And also the rhinoceros, the largest land mammal after the elephant - the length of the rhinoceros is from 2 to 5 meters, with a height of 1-3 meters and a weight of 1 to 3.6 tons.

The colors of rhinoceros depend on their species, in fact, at first glance, it seems that the names of rhinoceros species actually came from their colors: white rhinoceros, black rhinoceros. But not everything is so obvious and unambiguous here, the fact is that the real skin color of both white and black rhinos is the same - gray-brown, but due to the fact that these rhinos love to wallow in the ground of different colors, which colors them in different colors, and their names went.

The head of a rhinoceros is long and narrow, with a steeply lowered forehead. Between the nasal bones and the forehead has a concavity, somewhat similar to a saddle. The small eyes of a rhinoceros with brown or black pupils look very contrasting in their size against the background of their large head. As we mentioned at the beginning, things are not important with the eyesight of rhinos, they are only able to see moving objects from a distance of no more than 30 meters. In addition, the fact that their eyes are located on the sides does not give them the opportunity to properly examine this or that object, they see it first with one eye, then with the other.

But the sense of smell in rhinos, on the contrary, is perfectly developed, and it is on it that they rely the most. Interestingly, the volume of the nasal cavity in rhinos is larger than the volume of their brain. Hearing is also well developed in these giants, the ears of rhinos are like tubes that constantly rotate, catching even faint sounds.

The lips of rhinos are straight and clumsy, with the exception of the Indian and black rhinos, which have a movable lower lip. Also, all rhinos have 7 molars in the dental system, which are greatly erased with age, in addition to teeth, Asian rhinos have incisors that are absent in African rhinos.

All rhinos have thick skin, which is almost completely devoid of wool. The exception here is the modern Sumatran rhinoceros, whose skin is still covered with brown hair, and the woolly rhinoceros that once lived in our latitudes, which, unfortunately, has not survived to this day along with the same woolly mammoth.

The legs of the rhinoceros are heavy and massive, each foot has three hooves, as a result of which it is very easy to recognize by the rhino tracks where these giants walked.

rhinoceros horn

The rhinoceros horn is his calling card and should be mentioned separately. So, depending on the species, a rhinoceros on the nose can grow either one or two horns, with the second horn located closer to the head of a smaller size. Rhinoceros horns are made up of the protein kerotene, by the way, human hair and nails, porcupine quills, bird feathers, and armadillo shells are made of the same protein. Horns develop from the epidermis of the skin of rhinos.

In young rhinos, when wounded, the horns are restored, in old ones, no longer. In general, all the functions of the rhinoceros horn have not yet been fully studied by zoologists, but for example, scientists have noticed such a curious fact - if a horn is removed from a female rhinoceros, then she will cease to be interested in her offspring.

The owner of the longest horn is the white rhinoceros, in which it reaches 158 cm in length.

Where does the rhinoceros live

In our time, only 5 species of the once numerous family of rhinos have survived, 3 of them live in Southeast Asia, these are the Indian rhinoceros, the Sumatran rhinoceros and the Javanese rhinoceros, and 2 species live in Africa, these are black and white rhinos. Below we describe each type in more detail.

How long does a rhinoceros live

The life expectancy of rhinos is very long, so African rhinos live on average 30-40 years in the wild, and live up to 50 years in zoos. But the longest-living rhinos are the Indian and Javan rhinos, which can live up to 70 years, almost as long as a human lifespan.

Rhino lifestyle

All rhinos live alone, without creating herds. The exceptions are white rhinoceroses, which form small herds consisting of a female and cubs. Male and female rhinos come together only for the duration of mating. Despite such a peculiar hermit lifestyle, rhinoceroses also have friends among other representatives of the animal world, so dragging, small birds, constantly accompany rhinoceroses, pecking insects from their skin and, at the same time, bringing them closer with their cry about possible danger. Not without reason in Swahili the name of these birds "wa kifaru" sounds like a protector of rhinos.

Each rhinoceros has its own territory - a pasture area and a pond, which is its personal "land", it jealously guards its territory. Rhinos mark the borders of their "possessions" with heaps of manure, which also serve as a kind of "aromatic" landmark, allowing them to navigate in space and stay within their "lands".

Rhinos are especially active in the early morning and in the evening twilight, at which time they actively feed to get enough, which, given their large size, is not always an easy task. But day and night, rhinos, as a rule, sleep on their stomachs or rolled over on their sides, or take their favorite “mud baths”. Rhinos sleep very soundly and they say that at this time you can easily sneak up on them and even grab them by the tail (but still we highly recommend that you do not do this))).

Rhinos are cautious animals, therefore, including from us humans, they try to stay away, but when they feel danger, they always attack first, and they attack very violently. That is why, when meeting with a rhinoceros, you need to behave extremely carefully and delicately, an angry rhinoceros can run at a speed of 40-45 km per hour, and nothing can stop such a running carcass, for example, it can quite easily ram and even turn over a light one.

What does a rhinoceros eat

Rhinos are herbivores, however, they are very voracious, so on average a rhinoceros eats up to 72 kg of plant food per day. The main food of rhinos is grass and leaves fallen from trees. Black and Indian rhinos are not averse to feasting on the shoots of trees and shrubs. Sugarcane is a favorite delicacy of the Indian rhinoceros, while the Sumatran rhinoceros is very fond of various fruits, especially figs and mangoes.

Rhino Enemies

The main enemy of rhinos is, of course, a man who in the old days mercilessly exterminated these animals, including for the sake of their famous horns, which are believed to have various healing properties. Until they were exterminated to the point that now all 5 species of rhinos are listed in, because due to their low numbers they are on the verge of extinction.

In natural conditions, other animals, given the size and cautiously suspicious disposition of rhinos, try to bypass them. But different predators may well hunt for rhino cubs: lions, crocodiles. But with an adult large rhino with thick skin and a sharp large horn, they can’t cope with it.

Well, it's time to describe in more detail the 5 species of these horned giants that exist in nature.

white rhino

It is the largest rhinoceros in the world, and oddly enough, the least aggressive of the rhinos. Its body length is 5 m, height 2-3 m and weight 2-3 tons, although there are also heavy white rhinos, weighing 4-5 tons. Also, this rhinoceros has two horns, the main horn is the largest in the rhino family, and in addition to it, there is another smaller horn closer to the head. The white rhino lives in East and South Africa, on the territory of such countries as South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Botswana.

This species of rhinoceros is extremely dangerous due to its aggressive nature. When a person approaches, even if it is an innocent tourist with a camera, he can react quite nervously, so you should keep your distance from him. Just like the white rhinoceros, it has two horns, one large and the other small, but somewhat smaller. The body length of a black rhinoceros is up to 3 m. Also, a characteristic difference of a black rhinoceros is the presence of a mobile black lip. The black rhinoceros lives in a number of countries in Western, Eastern and Southern Africa: in South Africa, Botswana, Tanzania, Kenya, Angola, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique.

As you probably guessed, the homeland of the Indian rhino is India, but in addition to it, Indian rhinos also live in Nepal. The body length of the Indian rhinoceros is on average 2 m and with a body weight of 2.5 tons. The horn of the Indian rhinoceros is only one, and unlike African rhinos, it is not sharp, but more blunt, convex.

The only modern rhinoceros species to have a skin covered with a little hair, which is why it is sometimes also called the "hairy rhinoceros". It is also the oldest among all rhinos. The body length of the Sumatran rhinoceros is 2.3 m and weighs 2.25 tons. Among the rhinos, the Sumatran rhinoceros is the smallest, but despite this, it remains one of the largest representatives of the animal world of our planet. The Sumatran rhinoceros lives on the island of Sumatra (in Indonesia), also in Malaysia.

This rhinoceros is in a particularly deplorable state, according to zoologists, only about 50 individuals of the Javan rhinoceros have survived at the moment. It lives only on the island of Java in a reserve specially created for it, in which every effort is made for its subsequent conservation. The Javan rhinoceros is similar in size and build to the Indian rhinoceros, but its distinctive feature is the complete absence of horns in females. Only male Javan rhinos have horns. The folds of his thick skin are somewhat reminiscent of knightly armor.

Rhino breeding

Rhinos reach sexual maturity in the 7th year of life. But the male rhinoceros can start the process of copulation with the female and the process of reproduction only after he acquires his territory. Usually it takes another 2-3 years of life to do this. The mating season for rhinoceroses usually happens every one and a half months, during this period the male begins an intensive search for the female, which is interesting when the male rhinoceros is chasing the female rhinoceros, they can even fight. But then the female still yields to the pressure of the male, and mating occurs.

The pregnancy of a female rhinoceros lasts a year and a half, and she has only one baby. A newborn rhinoceros weighs 25 kg, but already very quickly begins to gain weight. Interestingly, white rhino babies are born hairy. After a few days, little rhinos are able to follow their mother, and after three months there are plants. However, during this period, the basis of their nutrition is mother's milk. For a whole year, the female rhinoceros feeds her children with breast milk. It should also be noted that small rhinos are deprived of horns, which begin to grow in them in the 2nd-3rd year of life.

• The inhabitants of Europe first saw the rhinoceros only in 1513, it was handed over to the Portuguese navigators by the Indian Raja Cambay. At first, the outlandish beast was put up for the amusement of the crowd, then the Portuguese decided to send it as a gift to the Pope, but on the way on the ship the rhinoceros went berserk, pierced the side of the ship and drowned.
• The World Wildlife Fund WWF has established a special "Day of the Rhino" which is celebrated on September 22.
• The large woolly rhinoceros elasmotherium once lived in forests, on the territory, including our country of Ukraine, as well as in many other places in Eurasia. Unfortunately, it died out 8 thousand years ago.
• The word "rhinoceros" itself is found in the name of many other animals, for example, there is a rhinoceros beetle, -rhinoceros, hornbill, -rhinoceros, hornbill fish. All of them have horns, which makes them look like our today's hero - a rhinoceros.

Rhino, video

And in conclusion, an interesting video about the crazy attacks of a rhinoceros, filmed on camera.

The baby was born on Halloween, it was shown to visitors only on November 21.

The name of the cub, which became the fourteenth black rhinoceros of the Sydney Zoo, has not yet been thought of. Baby's mother Bakhita came to Taronga Western Plains in 2002, today three generations of black rhinos live in the zoo. The daughter of Bakhita, nicknamed Kufara, had a baby Messi in the spring of 2017.

There are about 4,000 black rhinos left in the wild. Ignorance and poaching led to the destruction of these animals. The extraction of animals similar to mythical unicorns became widespread in the 20th century. In some countries, it is believed that the powder from the horn of this animal has miraculous properties, supposedly restores potency and helps maintain youth.

Alternative medicine is still popular in Asian countries. A resident of Hanoi paid 2,000 dollars for the horn of a dead animal. The man rubbed it on the edge of a bowl with a rhino pattern for 20 minutes, then poured the mixture into a glass and drank it.

“I decided to buy this piece of horn because I am getting old and I need medicine. Friends say that rhinoceros horn will cure me of many diseases, stroke and high fever ... They also say that it cures cancer, ”the man explains.

The trade in rhinoceros horns was banned in 1977 by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, CITES.

“If not for the UN Convention, rhinos would not exist in the wild today. Thanks to her, the rhinoceros population on the planet has recovered to 25,000 individuals,” said CITES Secretary General John Scanlon.

A few days ago, shocking and depressing news broke: in the Thoiry Zoological Park in Paris, poachers killed a white rhino and sawed off its horn.

What happened

The perpetrators broke into the zoo early in the morning and killed a 4-year-old male white rhino named Vince with three shots to the head, according to Le Parisien. According to a statement from the zoo, poachers used a chainsaw to get its front horn. The second horn was only partially cut. Presumably, someone scared the criminals or, perhaps, their equipment failed. An investigation is now underway to find the culprits. Vince was found in the morning by a female caretaker who is very attached to the animals she cares for. She was deeply moved by his death. This odious murder was committed despite the presence of five employees living there and the presence of CCTV cameras on the territory of the zoological park.

Two other rhinoceroses living in the zoo, fortunately, were not injured.

Reasons for the murder

The white rhino is on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals. This is largely due to the massive demand for their horns in China and parts of Southeast Asia. White rhinoceros horns are revered for their alleged and entirely unproven aphrodisiac properties and are used in traditional Chinese medicine.

Despite new efforts to combat this illegal trade around the globe, the theft of rhinoceros horns from museums and private collections is very common in Europe. Nevertheless, poachers who prey on live animals in European zoos have so far been practically unheard of.

Recently, however, zoological parks have faced an unusual wave of brutal attacks on animals. In the past few weeks, a hippo has been killed at a zoo in El Salvador, and at a zoo in Tunis, visitors have stoned a crocodile to death for no reason.