Is there a rhinoceros in the savannah. Where do rhinos live and what species do they come in. white rhino and man
Class: Mammals
Order: Odd-toed ungulates
Family: Rhinoceros
Genus: White rhinos
View: white rhino
habitats
The habitat of the white rhino is divided into two parts. The first is central Africa: Democratic Republic Congo, southwestern Sudan, northeastern Zaire, northwestern Uganda. The second region is South Africa: northeast South Africa, southeast Angola, eastern Namibia, the territories of Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Botswana.
First of all, it lives in an open wooded area savannah, close to which there are sources of water. white rhino prefers plains, and may even be found in swampy regions.
Appearance
The body length of the white rhino is 335-420 cm, the tail is 50-70 cm. Males are larger than females. white rhino is one of the largest land animals, and in size, it ranks second, second only to the elephant. Their color changes from dark gray to dark yellow. There are two horns on the head; the anterior horn is longer and often reaches a length of 150 cm. The head is quite long, and there is a large hump on the neck. The ears are long and can turn freely. They have a wide front lip (20 cm). The weight of a white rhino is 1.7-2.3 tons.
Nutrition
white rhino- a herbivore that feeds on various herbs, plucking them with a wide front lip.
reproduction
Breeding occurs throughout the year with two peak periods in summer and autumn. During the breeding season, the usually solitary male stays close to the female for 1-3 weeks. After mating, they separate. The gestation period for white rhinos is 16 months. A single born rhinoceros weighs around 50 kg and is very active shortly after birth. Weaning occurs from 1-2 years after birth. Young rhinoceroses reach sexual maturity at 6 years old for females, and at 10-12 years old for males.
Peculiarities
White rhinos are believed to have the hardest social behavior among all members of the rhinoceros family. Individual territories vary in size, depending on resources, 75-78 sq. km. Dominant males are usually solitary and will confront any other male that enters his territory. On his territory, a man tolerates the presence of only women, not adult male children. white rhino rather unaggressive animal. It is believed that in wilderness, they can be safely approached within a few meters, but I personally wouldn't recommend it! This property has made the white rhino easy to hunt and poach.
white rhino and man
white rhino- a very desirable resident for zoos around the world, and a large number of people come to poor African countries to admire this animal in natural environment.
The decline of Africa's rhinos is one of the biggest wildlife tragedies of our time. White rhinos have suffered from habitat loss and poaching. Recent habitat destruction and urbanization have greatly affected white rhino populations. Many game inspectors and researchers risk their lives to help protect this species from poachers. New and innovative management programs are being developed to help save this magnificent creature. Only over 4,000 white rhinos live in the wild today.
Some animal welfare programs put white rhinos to sleep for a while and remove their horns so they don't attract poachers. After all, poachers only need their horns, and they are not interested in meat. Rhinoceros horns have two main sales markets: these are Asian countries: China, Taiwan and South Korea using it in folk medicine and the Middle East, countries such as Yemen and Oman, which consider horn an expensive material that can be used to make decorative dagger handles. White rhino horns are valued at thousands of dollars on the black market.
Many southern white rhinos now live in protected areas such as fenced pastures, reserves, and protection zones. The sale of limited sport hunting brings large revenues and a great incentive to keep them. Thanks to the joint efforts of defenders natural resources, researchers and interested people, especially in South Africa, the number of white rhinos has increased from 20-50 individuals in 1895 to approximately 17,500 today. And another 750 animals are in captivity, making them now the richest species of rhinoceros in the world.
Unfortunately, the outlook for the northern white rhino does not look so bright. The Garamba National Park Project managed to conserve about 30 rhinos from the late 1980s until 2003, but increased human intervention reduced their numbers to 4 animals in 2006. New surveys have failed to find evidence of a northern white rhino in the national park. If the northern white rhino is now extinct in the wild, its survival now depends on the successful breeding of a small number of rhinos kept at the Dvur Kralove Zoo in the Czech Republic.
Goals: introduce children to the flora and fauna of the savannas and rainforest To introduce children to the characteristics of each animal and plant.
Tasks: to expand the horizons of students; develop logical thinking, imagination, monologue speech, voluntary attention, memory; cultivate love for nature; bring up careful attitude to plants and animals.
Type of lesson: learning new material.
Equipment: textbook A.A. Pleshakov “The World Around Us”, workbook for the textbook, multimedia presentation, handout (coloring book “Elephant”), animal masks, cards “Savannah”, “Rainforest”, soundtrack with recording of wildlife sounds, reproductions of pictures of the Russian forest.
I. Organizational moment.
(Wildlife sounds on)
Guys, where do you think we ended up in today's lesson? You and I ended up in a forest, but not in an ordinary forest, but in a forest that is located in hot countries.
Which continent do you think is always hot? (Africa) - but it's hot, guys, not only in Africa. And these hot countries have their own forests.
What is a forest?
(Showing illustrations of the Russian forest). Look carefully at the board - here you see reproductions of paintings by the Russian artist Shishkin. Tell us what plants you met in the forest, what animals.
II. Learning new material.
There are also forests in Africa, but they are called savannah and rainforest.
(on the board Savannah Rainforest)
Now we will get acquainted with the savannah
The name "Savannah" comes from the Spanish word "sabana", which means "wild flat place".
There are a lot of different trees and shrubs in the savannah. All trees and shrubs in the savannah are entangled with vines. There are periods in the savannah when constantly it's raining and there are times when it doesn't rain. Here we can meet such herbs that will be as tall as a man!
And now we will find ourselves in the same savannah. We will be quiet so as not to frighten the animals. Listen carefully to the sounds you hear.
Slide 3 (savanna sounds are heard).
What animals and birds did we hear? Let's get acquainted with some animals of this forest.
The yellow-billed toko, found in the savannahs of Africa, belongs to the hornbill, one of the most interesting species of birds. Hornbills are notable for their huge beaks. Although hornbills feed primarily on fruits, they are omnivores.
Who is this? (Rhinoceros). Let's listen to him. What sounds does it make (cry of a rhinoceros). Now we will be told about this wonderful animal (performance by a trained student).
AT African savannas ah lives such an animal as a rhinoceros. This is one of the largest animals. The rhinoceros feeds on grass, leaves from trees. Rhinos are very dangerous. They easily fall into a rage and can catch up with the offender. The famous rhinoceros horn has caused them to be hunted a lot.
And who is this guys? (Leopard).
Let's listen to him (the roar of a leopard): The leopard is very widespread - throughout Africa. It is a ferocious predator. Although he is inferior to the lion and tiger in strength, he surpasses them in dexterity, which allows him to easily climb tall trees or steep cliffs. Leopards prey mainly on medium-sized animals - wild boars, monkeys, deer, antelopes. Because of the beautiful yellow skin with dark spots, leopards are everywhere heavily exterminated and are currently listed in the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.
Is it familiar to all of us? (African elephant). Let's listen to how he trumpets (the sound of an elephant).
The African elephant is the largest of the currently existing land animals, can have a height of up to 4 m. The huge curved tusks of old males reach more than 3.5 m. , fruits and grass, for life these giants require large free territories, which are almost gone in Africa.
The giraffe is an inhabitant of the African savannas. The seemingly surprising appearance of a giraffe (a relatively short body with huge growth is nevertheless quite justified. Giraffes feed on vegetable food, which they get mainly from a height. To drink water, a giraffe has to spread its front legs wide apart.
He will tell us about the lion now ... (speech by a trained student): It is customary to call the lion “the king of beasts”. During the day, lions rest, stretching out in the grass or lying on a low tree, but they hunt in the evening. Common prey for lions are zebras and antelopes. Lions have been known to attack humans.
Fizminutka for the eyes
And who is this rascal? Let's listen to her (monkey cry): Monkeys are quite large. They run well on four paws, when frightened and excited, they stand on their hind legs, while leaning on the tail, as on a third leg. In danger, they constantly jump from place to place. They eat everything they can find - grass, fruits, seeds, insects, birds and their eggs, honey.
Who is this striped horse? Let's listen to her (zebra sound): Wild striped horses - zebras - live only in Africa. Large, horse-sized, savannah zebra. All zebras have a courageous character and, on occasion, can stand up for themselves, therefore, as a rule, old and sick animals become victims of predators. It is very difficult to tame these animals.
Who is this guys? Describe the ostrich. What feature does it have?
What is a Savannah? Let's listen (the sound of a hippopotamus).
And a poem about a hippopotamus will tell us ... (student's performance).
Hippo, hippo,
He has a huge mouth
Something he chews all day
Apparently not right.
He is famous in the area.
Everyone will say: “Straight shame
hippo appetite
You don't know beautiful!”
Who is just visiting here
Would you dare to invite?
What is this toothy inhabitant? Let's listen to him (the sound of a crocodile). And he will tell us about the crocodile ... (student's speech).
I am a huge crocodile
Defeated everyone in the area!
But don't be so afraid
Because I love to laugh too.
This monkey is called "baboon". Let's listen to him (baboon sound).
Baboon is a monkey from the genus of baboons. Baboons live in savanna forests and savannahs. Although baboons are terrestrial animals, they spend more time in trees than other baboons. These are omnivorous animals. The main one in their family is the male.
Guys, this unusual bird It also has an unusual name.
Who is a "secretary"?
The secretary bird is a tall, sometimes more than a meter, long-legged bird that lives in the African savannas. The secretary got its name from the bunch of feathers on its head, which usually hangs down like a feather behind the ear of a scribe, and when the bird is excited, it rises up. Most of the time the secretary spends walking on the ground and looking for prey: lizards, snakes, small animals, locusts.
Fizminutka
Show how a giraffe, zebra, crocodile, elephant, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, lion, monkey walks.
slide 17.
And now we will talk about another type of forest - the rainforest. One of these forests is located on the island of Madagascar. You must have seen the cartoon with this name. Let's remember what plants and animals met there?
We come from the savannah to this tropical forest. Listen carefully. Who will you hear.
Slide 18 (rainforest sounds).
Whom did we hear? What else have you heard? (Rain). That's right, guys - the rainforest is also known for the fact that it often rains.
Ferns grow in the tropics - there are quite a lot of them in the forest.
Let's get acquainted with some animals of the rainforest. Since this forest is also hot, the animals will be the same as in the savannah.
Slides 20 to 27.
And now our guys will tell you poems about the animals of the savannah and the rainforest.
1. Hippo in a mud puddle
No resort needed.
He can swim in the mud.
Mud softens his skin,
Replaces cream and ointment.
Wonderful dirt!
2. Courageous, slender and strong
Lion lives in the desert
Leo has a big head
And a very scary pharynx.
He can bare his claws
And growl menacingly
And for little kids
Leo can't be played with
3. The horn is large - at the rhinoceros,
The grizzly bear has paws.
Grow up and I'm a little -
There will be tusks like dad's.
Fizminutka to the music
Tilts left - right, forward - backward, arms up - to the sides - forward - down.
III. Consolidation of the studied material.
So let's answer the question of a curious giraffe - where do elephants live? Let's check if we named the animals of the savannah and the rainforest correctly? (Textbook pp. 10-11)
What animals haven't been named yet?
IV. Summary of the lesson.
Where did we visit today's lesson?
Why is the savannah so called?
What animals live in the savannah? What are in the rainforest?
Since the main character today we had an elephant - he Good work at the lesson he gives everyone his photo (presentation of coloring pages).
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 took the Boer word "wijde" (veyde), which means "wide", for 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, catching 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.
Main distinguishing feature rhinos - 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. Changes speak in favor of this version appearance 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.
Horn Indian rhinoceros(left) and white rhino horns (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 is the data International Union 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) turned out to be 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. Behind long years animals trample their paths on the territory, arrange places for taking mud baths. And African rhinos also organize separate latrines. Behind 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 with maximum speed 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. black rhinoceros in wild nature lives 35-40 years, white - 45 years, Sumatran - 32 years, and Indian and Javanese - 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 uproot acacia sprouts right from the root and destroy them in in large numbers. Their wedge-shaped upper lip(proboscis) allows you to capture and break off hanging branches. The black rhinoceros loves elephant grass (lat. Pennisetum purpureum), aquatic plants, spurges and young shoots of reeds. 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 for the winter hay is harvested for them, in addition to which they rely vitamin supplements. Black and Indian species be sure to add branches of trees and shrubs to the feed.
Rhinos feed in different time days. 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.
feast on tasty meat rhino cubs are loved by many predators:, Nile crocodiles and others. 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 lower part 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 in the African Big Five as the most dangerous beasts continent and at the same time the most desirable 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. AT mating season males fight not only among themselves, but also with females chasing them. Males must prove their strength and ability to defend themselves.
- Sumatran rhinoceros (armored rhinoceros) (lat. Dicerorhinus sumatrensis)- 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 rhinoceros at the withers is 1.4 m, its length reaches 2.3 m, and the animal weighs 2.25 tons. This is the most small view modern rhinos, but it still remains one of the largest animals on earth.
Day and night the beast lies in muddy puddles, which she often does on her own, having previously cleared the area around her. It becomes active at dusk and during the day. The Sumatran rhinoceros eats bamboo, fruits, figs, mangoes, leaves, twigs and bark. wild plants, sometimes visits fields sown by man. 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 skeleton of a swamp rhinoceros - chiloteria was discovered by Russian scientists in the Kuban, in the vicinity of Armavir.
"For the first time in Russia, a skeleton of a rhinoceros-chiloterium was found. Previously, only small fragments of the remains of this animal were known to us. Skeletons of chyloterians different types met, of course, before in several locations in Eurasia, including Ukraine and Kazakhstan. But in Russia, continental Miocene localities are rare, so our find is very interesting from the point of view of paleogeography and the evolution of the group," the paleontologist said.
The area where the first Russian chilotherium lived is located at the crossroads of ancient migration flows from Asia, Europe and even Africa. Since 2004, these places have been actively studied by specialists from the Institute of Arid Zones of the SSC RAS and the Geological Institute of the RAS. Employees of the Armavir Museum of Local Lore, as well as volunteers, take part in the excavations.
According to the paleontologist, all the fossil material from this location is rather poorly preserved, it is deformed and carbonatized. Meanwhile, the bones of chiloterium turned out to be unexpectedly well preserved, although they still require lengthy and painstaking preparation and restoration. To date, scientists have already removed a skull with a lower jaw and several limb bones from a layer of sedimentary rocks.
“In the coming summer, we are going to continue extracting the rest of the skeleton. Apparently, this place contains the remains of at least three rhinos,” continues Titov. start continuous rains. Therefore, we were very upset that we had to leave a lot of material in the layer."
As the researcher clarified, the remains of the rhinoceros lay in the ancient slope deposits along with the bones of other animals of the Hipparion fauna. In total, 23 species of large and small vertebrates have been found in this locality so far - among them are two species of hipparions, various antelopes, and others. To extract the bones of small vertebrates (rodents, amphibians, and reptiles), the host rock was washed through a sieve. The age of this fauna corresponds to the late Miocene (early Maeotis, 7-8 million years ago).
"Chilotheria are considered "marsh" rhinoceroses, - the scientist noted. - They lived mainly in the lowlands, near water and were adapted to feeding on low-abrasive food. Unlike modern rhinos, which are predominantly solitary, chilotheria, apparently, lived in small groups " .
It is noteworthy that the first skeleton of chiloterium in Russia was found not in swamp deposits, but on a slope, probably quite high from the level of the reservoir. At the same time, the bones of rhinos were mixed with the remains of gazelles and hipparions, which are considered typical inhabitants of savanna-like landscapes. The death of all these creatures was caused, most likely, by some natural catastrophic event such as a mudflow.
In the future plans of scientists - to study the enamel of the teeth of chiloterium for micro- and meso-erasing of the enamel. This method of paleontological research, which is gaining popularity, makes it possible to clarify the nature of the nutrition of herbivorous animals.
"After we dig everything up and restore it, the skeleton of the rhinoceros is supposed to be mounted in the Azov Museum-Reserve, where the skeletons of dinoterium, elasmotherium and trogontherium mammoth already stand. However, we do not have restorers, so the whole procedure for bringing the bones into proper condition is carried out by me in between all the other chores at the institute or at home. I think that it will take me more than one year, "Vadim Titov said.
Rhinos are the largest members of the equid family.
Today, out of the once numerous population of these animals, only five species have survived. Three of which, the Indian, Sumatran and Javan rhinoceros, live in Asia. Two other species, black and white rhinos, live in the Central and West Africa.
Where does it live black rhinoceros?
Once upon a time, the black rhinoceros inhabited almost the entire territory of the African savannas. It was found in East, Central and South Africa. But with the advent of the Europeans African continent started them mass extermination, and already in the middle of the twentieth century, the number of rhinoceros was significantly reduced to 13.5 thousand individuals.
Now in the wild there are about 3.5 thousand black rhinos. The most most of populations inhabit the territory of such African countries: South Africa, Central African Republic, Angola, Tanzania, Cameroon, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe. Basically, the entire population of rhinos in these countries lives on the territory of nature reserves, where poachers do not have access. A small number of rhinos live in the countries of West Africa, their numbers are not known for certain, due to the constant hunting of animals by poachers and the unstable situation in the countries of this region. 
The status of the black rhino population in different countries fluctuates constantly. For example, for recent times the number of animals in the reserves of South Africa has increased, and in West Africa, the complete extinction of one of the subspecies of the black rhino was even recorded.
Where does he live ?
In ancient times, the white rhino was found throughout the African continent. This is evidenced by the many rock paintings throughout Africa. Europeans first learned about the species only in 1857. The white rhinoceros was discovered by the famous traveler Burchell in South Africa. After such a discovery, active hunting began on animals, and already 35 years after the discovery of the white rhino, the species was considered extinct. But not numerous herds were found in hard-to-reach places in 1892 in the valley of the Umfolozi River, and in 1897 the area was taken under protection.
Now white rhinos live only in South and Northeast Africa on the territory of such countries: South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, South Sudan and the Democratic people's republic Congo. Their approximate number as of 2010 was 20,170 individuals. Although the species is considered stable and in some places its growth has begun ( South Africa) some subspecies failed to escape the sad fate. So back in 1960, the population of northern white rhinos, reaching 2500, was reduced to 5 individuals in 2014. This gives grounds for the complete extinction of the species within a few years. Therefore, the white rhino is still in the status of a protected animal. 
Where does it live Indian rhinoceros?
The Indian rhinoceros once inhabited almost the entire southeast and south of Asia. The range of the rhinoceros extended to the northern Indian mountains of the Hindu Kush. There was a rhinoceros and a common representative of the animal world of China and Iran. In addition, the remains of the animal were found in Yakutia, which suggests that the rhinoceros could live in this area.
With the advent of Europeans in Asia, the deforestation of the jungle and the increase in the population in Asian countries, the number of rhinoceros began to decline significantly. Europeans hunted animals with firearms, exterminating a huge number of rhinos. As a result, this led to the fact that now rhinos live only in protected areas. 
Today, the Indian rhinoceros is found in such countries: Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh and in Eastern India (Sindh province). Mostly here they live in the territories of nature reserves and national parks. Only in Bangladesh and in Pakistan, Punjab province, a small number of individuals live in inaccessible and impenetrable forests.
The largest population of Indian rhinos lives in the Indian national park Kaziranga, approximately 1600 individuals. The second largest rhinoceros is the Chitwan Reserve in Nepal, it is home to about 600 individuals. The third reserve, which boasts a population of Indian rhinoceros, national park Lal Suhantra in Pakistan, 300 animals live there.
habitats Sumatran rhinoceros
Previously, the Sumatran rhinoceros was distributed in many Asian countries, such as: India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia. He lived mainly in tropical forests and in the swamps.
Now the Sumatran rhinoceros lives only on the Asia Minor peninsula and on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. The number of the species is only 275 individuals. The Sumatran rhinoceros is listed in the International Red Book, the species is on the verge of extinction.
area Javan rhinoceros
The smallest species of rhino on the planet. Once upon a time, the Javan rhinoceros was a fairly prosperous species and was found in almost the entire mainland of Southeast and South Asia. The Javan rhinoceros lived in many Asian countries: India, China, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar. He lived not only on the mainland, but also on the Malay Peninsula and on the islands of Java and Sumatra.
Today, Javan rhinoceroses number from 30 to 60 individuals, they live only on the island of Java, Indonesia. It is not found elsewhere in its former range. The rhinoceros finally died out in the territory of other habitats in the middle of the twentieth century. In the near future the mind is threatened complete disappearance. There have been attempts to keep the Javan rhinoceros in the zoo, but they have not been successful and since 2008 there is not a single individual of this species living in captivity.