The name ‘rhinoceros’ has Greek origin. In Greek rhino means ‘nose’ and keros means ‘horned’. The animal has one or two curved horns on its long nose. The horns grow throughout its life. Rhinoceros belong to the ‘odd-toed’ group of ungulates. Rhinoceros are found in Africa and South-East Asia.
The animal carries its large body on its four stout, short legs. It has three toes on each foot, each toe ending in separate hoof. Each front foot actually has a fourth toe, too, that is no longer used.
The skin of the rhinoceros is very thick and has little hair. They look as if they are wearing heavy armour plating held together with rivets. The horns are composed entirely of hair like growths set above thickenings of the nasal bones and frontal bones. They are not attached to the skull and may even be torn off in fighting. When this happens, they quickly grow again. The horn may be upto 107 cm in length.
There are five different kinds of rhinoceros existing today — two from Africa and three from Asia. The Sumatran rhinoceros have two horns whereas the other two Asian species — Indian and Javan — have only one. They are all in danger of extinction but the most endangered is the Javan rhinoceros, which survives only in one small reserve.
The largest of all these is the white rhinoceros from Africa. It stands 1.8 m (6 ft) high at the shoulder and can weigh over 3 tons. An interesting difference between the white and the black rhinoceros lies in the shape of their lips. The white rhinoceros has a wider, square-mouth which is very suitable for cropping grass. The black rhinoceros is more of a browser and has a pointed upper lip for grazing and plucking leaves and shoots from shrubs and bushes. The other two-horned species, the Sumatran rhinoceros, is the smallest of all, standing only about 4.5 ft at the shoulder and weighing less than a ton.
Rhinoceros feeds on grass, twigs and shrubs. They do not hunt other animals for food. During the afternoon heat, the rhinoceros usually buries itself in muddy water. And from here it emerges with a layer of mud on its skin. This dries and forms a protective coating against insect bites.
This huge animal is usually quiet and retiring. But if it is cornered, it can become very fierce and dangerous. A rhinoceros can charge at a speed of 30 miles an hour, and use its strong, pointed horns to attack its enemy. In captivity the rhinoceros may live upto fifty years.
A female bears only one young at a time. The calf is born about eighteen months after the mating season and remains with the mother for several years.
Now unfortunately the rhinoceros is a rare species. Over the centuries they have been hunted by man for their horns. This is because according to an ancient belief, its horn imparted magical properties to its owner. However, now this second largest land mammal is being protected by law to prevent it from becoming extinct.