Indian rhinos: description, habitat, photo. 35 interesting and curious facts about rhinos Are there rhinos in India

It is not even bone and looks like a layered skin growth. If the horn breaks off, which happens quite rarely, blood flows out of the wound, and over time a new “decoration” grows. The horn, along with powerful hooves, is the main weapon of the rhinos.

The most amazing feature of Indian rhinos is their thick skin, which forms loose folds on the neck, in front of the sacrum and behind the shoulder blades, which gives the impression that the animals are clad in armor and gives them a very "chivalrous" appearance. This impression is further enhanced by the convex bumps that look like iron rivets that cover the upper parts of the legs and sides, in the absence of hair on the skin. No wonder Indian rhinos are also called armored. Only the ears and the tip of the tail are covered with stiff bristles. The head is massive, with small eyes, the upper lip is prehensile. On the lower jaw is a pair of fangs (pointed incisors), which animals use only in rare cases when they have to attack the enemy.

Indian rhinos are herbivores. The basis of nutrition is aquatic plants, young reed shoots and elephant grass. They feed in the morning and evening.

Indian rhinos are very fond of water, in which they spend a lot of time. They are excellent swimmers and can even swim across large rivers. These animals never go far from the water. All day long they bathe or simply lie in liquid mud, especially in rather hot weather, when they are overwhelmed by numerous insects in marshy places. Due to their fondness for water, Indian rhinos prefer to settle in marshy savannahs and bushes.

Pregnancy in female Indian rhinos is quite long (from 475 to 485 days). They give birth to only one cub weighing about 70 kg, pink in color, with all outgrowths and folds, but without a horn. Babies are fed milk for six to ten months. Therefore, the female can produce offspring once every three years.

Armored rhinos, because of their enormous strength, have no enemies other than humans. Huge and powerful elephants retreat before the rhinos, even the tiger does not dare to attack an adult rhinoceros. Feeling no danger, rhinos do not run away when any animals or people appear, but continue to graze. They rush only as a last resort to those who disturb their peace. Heavy and seemingly quite clumsy, they are fast enough and can move at speeds up to 40 km/h while jumping over large ditches.

Currently, Indian rhinos live only in India and Nepal. They live for about 70 years.

The rhinoceros is a unique representative of the fauna of the world, massive and large in size. A kind of small armed and armored fortress running on four legs.

2. Rhino is the second largest land animal after the elephant. The length of his body is on average 4 - 4.5 meters, height 1-2 meters, and weight 2-4 tons.

3. The white rhinoceros ranks second in the world as the largest animal. Its length is about 4.5 meters, and the height is 1.5-2 m. The weight ranges from 2 to 5 tons. The black rhinoceros is slightly smaller than its counterpart, but also impressive in size.

4. Now there are 5 species of rhinos left on Earth: Indian, Javanese and Sumatran - in Asia, black and white - in Africa. All species of rhinos are endangered and listed in the Red Book.

5. The extinct species of rhinoceros Indricotherium is considered the largest mammal that once lived on the planet (reached up to 8 meters in height and weighed up to 20 tons).

Asian rhinos

6. In Asiatic rhinos, the skin forms deep folds, so it seems as if the animal is dressed in a shell consisting of separate plates.

7. The closest relatives of rhinos are tapirs, horses and zebras.

8. Black rhinoceroses have a peculiar upper lip adapted for grasping, which helps them easily grasp leaves and branches.

9. Rhinos are grazing animals, so savannas and grasslands are their habitat.

10. Depending on the species, as well as the environment in which rhinos live in the wild or in captivity, they can live from 35 to 50 years.

black rhinoceros

11. Black rhinos eat more than 200 types of vegetation. He especially likes hard prickly plants.

12. The rhinoceros has very thick skin - up to 1.5 centimeters thick. Although the skin is very thick, it is quite sensitive to sunlight and insect bites. Rhinos often roll in the mud to protect themselves from the scorching sun and annoying insects.

13. Javan rhinoceros is the smallest - from 650 to 1000 kilograms.

14. Some species, such as black and white rhinos, have two horns, while other members of this family, such as Javan rhinos, have only one.

15. Rhinoceros females bear offspring for 15-16 months, so they can breed every 2-3 years.

16. Sometimes female white rhinos gather and live in groups.

17. The horn of these animals is not bone, as you might think, looking at it, but consists of a high-strength protein - keratin, contained in our hair and nails.

18. Rhinoceros horns are used in folk oriental medicine as a cure for fever and rheumatism. They are also used to make decorative items such as dagger handles.

19. The eyesight of rhinoceroses is weak, so they poorly distinguish surrounding objects, but thanks to a well-developed sense of smell and excellent hearing, they orient themselves remarkably in space, and also sense the approach of the enemy from afar.

20. The main purpose of the horn of rhinos is to separate bushes and thickets in order to get their own food.

Sumatran rhinos

21. The Sumatran rhinoceros lives in impenetrable forests and leads a hermitic lifestyle.

22. The closest relative of the Sumatran rhinoceros is the woolly rhinoceros, which became extinct as early as the 9th-14th century BC.

23. In 1948, to clear Kenya for agriculture, hunters with a license to shoot rhinos were hired. Such 1 hunter killed 500 rhinos in 1 day.

24. In the 1970s and 1980s, to protect Indian rhinoceros populations in the Indian Kaziranga National Park, it was allowed to shoot to kill any armed person who was not an employee of the park.

25. The maximum speed at which a rhinoceros can run is 50 km / h.

Indian rhinoceros

26. The Indian rhino differs from its African counterparts not only in its skin and long horns, but also in its love of water. In hot weather, Indian rhinos enter the water and stay there until the heat subsides. African rhinos do not resort to such cooling methods.

27. Rhinos are predominantly nocturnal and feed only on plants. Animals can travel long distances in search of food.

28. To eat, a rhinoceros needs at least 70 kg of vegetation per day.

29. The Indian rhinoceros was used in military operations by Indian maharajas.

30. Rhino cubs are born without horns at all.

31. Small voloklyui birds are in a symbiotic relationship with rhinos. They remove mites from the surface of their skin and also warn rhinos of danger with loud cries. In the Swahili language of the peoples of East Africa, these birds are called "askari wa kifaru", which means "protectors of the rhinos."

32. The horn of this animal is 1/3 of its length. And the largest horn was recorded with a length of 1 meter and 25 cm.

33. The names "white" and "black" do not mean the real color of rhinos at all. “White” (in English “white”) is just a misunderstanding of the African word “weit”, which means “wide” in translation and describes the wide mouth of this rhinoceros. Another species of rhinoceros was called "black" to somehow distinguish it from white, or perhaps because this rhinoceros likes to roll in dark mud to protect its skin and appear darker.

34. The largest population of white rhinos lives in South Africa, small populations can also be found in Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana, as well as neighboring countries.

35. Black rhinos live in the south and west of the African continent, mainly in Tanzania, Kenya, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

The Indian rhinoceros belongs to the rhino family and forms a species that lives in Central Asia. The beast is very large and second in size only to the Indian elephant. Its habitat is savannah and bushland. You can meet representatives of the species in the eastern regions of Pakistan, in the northeastern regions of India, in the south of Nepal and in the north of Bangladesh.

The animal lives in reserves. In India, the state of Assam has the largest population, which has more than 1,500 individuals. Approximately 600 animals live in the Chitwan Reserve Park in Nepal. In Pakistan, there are 300 individuals. In total, a little more than 2.5 thousand rhinos live in Asia today. This number remains stable and even gradually increases.

The beast is powerful and large. The height at the withers reaches 1.8 meters. The usual weight for males is 2.2 tons, but individuals weighing 2.5 and even 2.8 tons come across. Females are smaller than the representatives of the stronger sex. Their weight does not exceed 1.6 tons. There are no other characteristic differences between the sexes. There is only one horn on the muzzle. Its length ranges from 20 to 60 cm. With a small size, it does not look like a horn, but like a large bump located on the nose. There are 3 toes on the feet. The eyes are small, their expression is sleepy.

The skin has a pinkish-gray tint. It consists of large folds and resembles in its appearance a shell that covers the body. The effect is enhanced by the bumps that cover the skin. Wool is absent, only on the tail there is a small tassel. In general, the beast makes an awkward impression. At the same time, he can run at a speed of 50 km / h and swim well, unlike his African counterparts. They don't know how to swim at all. Vision is poor, but hearing and smell are well developed.

Reproduction and lifespan

Representatives of the species breed throughout the year. Females become sexually mature at 4 years old. And males usually mature by 8 years. In this matter, nature has acted very cleverly. If young males matured earlier, they still could not mate with females, since more mature and stronger representatives of the species would not allow them to. And at the age of 8, the male turns into a mighty beast, and can claim the right to continue his race. In battles with more mature opponents, he already emerges victorious, since youth always wins.

Pregnancy lasts 16 months. One large cub is born. Its weight reaches 40 kg. Milk feeding lasts about 2 years. The baby lives with the mother until the age of 3, until she becomes pregnant again. After that, she herself drives away her grown cub. Males, as a rule, go as far as possible, and females remain close to their mother. Sometimes they unite in small groups and raise young animals together. In the wild, the Indian rhinoceros lives for about 40 years. In zoos, the animal lives up to 60-65 years. But in any case, life in freedom is much better.

Behavior and nutrition

The diet consists of young low-growing grass, reed shoots, aquatic plants, elephant grass. The upper lip of the beast is keratinized and has a sharp edge. Therefore, the plant is easily cut and eaten. The animal is active in the morning and evening. During the day it rests in puddles and mud pits. At this time, birds settle on his back and peck out ticks from thick skin. Water among representatives of the species is considered a common territory, but each rhinoceros has its own land allotment. The beast marks it with its feces. The uninvited guest is escorted out. If he does not leave in an amicable way, then the duel begins. Therefore, the bodies of males are always covered with scars.

In the wild, the beast has no enemies. He is so strong and powerful that even a tiger bypasses him. But man at all times mercilessly destroyed the poor animal. First, the Indian rhinoceros caused disproportionate damage to crops. Naturally, the owners of the fields did not like this. Even today, when the animal lives in fenced reserves, it can break the fence and enter the fields. And in the old days, wildlife coexisted perfectly with agricultural land.

Secondly, there is a belief about the healing and magical properties of the rhinoceros horn. Therefore, the animal was mercilessly shot at all times, and the horns on the black market were extremely expensive. In the 21st century, prices have become even higher as the number of horns has dropped dramatically. Therefore, poachers penetrate even into nature reserves and kill animals.

In response to this, the state introduced very cruel laws. Reserve employees have the right to shoot at all strangers who find themselves in a fenced area. First they shoot, and only then they figure out who it is and what it needs. As a result of all these preventive measures, the population is now at a stable level.

If you translate the name of the Indian rhinoceros from Latin, it will sound like "one-horned rhinoceros." Sometimes representatives of this species are also called armored rhinos. On the territory of Asia, you can find only one species that will surpass the Indian rhinoceros in its dimensions. This is an elephant. It is this species that is the largest in comparison with other species of rhinoceros living in Asia.

Appearance

Indian rhinos are very large animals. Sometimes their weight can reach 2500 kg. Males can have a height of up to 2 m. Females, on the other hand, have slightly smaller dimensions. The horn of representatives of this species can reach a length of approximately 25 cm. But in some individuals it can be up to 60 cm. But such a horn can only be seen in males. In females, it is very small and looks more like a bump.

These animals do not have hair. They have pinkish gray skin. Its surface is divided into regions by folds. Therefore, it looks like a shell. That is why one of the names of the species is “armored rhinoceros”. It is rather difficult to determine what color the surface of the skin of an animal has. Vedas, they very often like to wallow in the mud, after which it remains on them with a whole layer.

There are small brushes on the ears, as well as on the tail of the animal. They have 3 toes on their paws. There is a deep fold on the shoulders of the rhinoceros. They have small eyes. The upper lip is curved downward. And on the lower jaw there are very powerful incisors, which often serve as a weapon for the rhinoceros.

These animals are very strong and large. But they look like clumsy heavyweight wrestlers. This outward appearance is deceptive. In fact, rhinos are characterized by a quick reaction, they are quite mobile. If danger is approaching, the Indian rhinoceros can accelerate to a speed of 40 km/h. They have excellent hearing and a keen sense of smell. Thanks to this, already at a distance of several hundred meters, the rhinoceros will understand that there is a predatory animal or a person there. But their eyesight is quite weak.

Food

These are herbivorous mammals. They feed on algae, reeds, elephant grass. To pick food for itself, the rhinoceros uses the upper lip, which has a keratinized surface. Animals go out in search of food in the evening or in the morning, when it is not so hot anymore. In the daytime, they are in various water bodies in which there is a lot of dirt. Here they often look for food. Therefore, these animals live only in swampy areas.

Where does it live

A few centuries ago, representatives of this mono species could be found almost everywhere in southern Asia and China. They also lived in the eastern part of Iran. But human activity has had a significant impact on the number and habitat. They were hunted a lot, the habitual habitat was destroyed. In almost all these regions, the number of rhinos has decreased significantly. After colonization by Europe, Indian rhinos remained only in reserves. The numbers were also affected by the large number of hunters who used firearms. In addition, the territory of the jungle was constantly decreasing as a result of the intensive growth in the population of Asia.

Today representatives of this species live in the southern part of Pakistan. They can also be seen in eastern India and Nepal. A number of animals live in the north of Bangladesh. The territories where rhinos live are very strictly protected today. In total, there are not so many individuals left in the world. The largest population is in the state of Assam. This is the territory of India. Animals live in the national park called Kaziranga. About 1600 animals live here. This is approximately 2/3 of all representatives of the species in the world. About 600 individuals live in Nepal in Chitwan Park. About 300 rhinos can also be seen in one of the parks in Pakistan. To date, researchers claim that about 2.5 thousand Indian rhinos live in the world. Their number is growing.

In the Red Book, this species is listed as vulnerable. But the Sumatran as well as the Javanese species are in a more distressed position.

The closest species is the Javan rhinoceros, which also belongs to the Indian genus. Their body length reaches approximately 3 m, they grow up to 1.6 m in height. They have 1 horn, which grows up to 20 cm. This species is very rare. In total there are about 60 representatives. They cannot be kept in captivity.

Sex differences

The horn of females is much less pronounced, they are not as large as males.

Behavior

These animals prefer solitude. Each representative chooses for himself a territory of about 4 thousand square meters. m. In this area, elephant grass will definitely grow, a puddle of mud will be located, as well as a larger lake or the coast of a larger reservoir. With the help of manure, males, as a rule, mark their possessions.

You can see many paths in the thickets themselves, where a lot of elephant grass grows. They are trampled by rhinos. Among them there are common ones, along which animals make their way to the puddles. But there are also personal paths that the rhinoceros guards from others.

These animals, although they have a huge weight, are excellent swimmers. They can swim across a wide river or lake.

They do not make loud shrill sounds. If you disturb an Indian rhinoceros, you can hear a sound similar to snoring. The female covenant her offspring grunting. And when the mating season is on, its sound is like a whistle. Rhinos can also grunt while searching for food. But if one of them is injured or feels a special danger, they emit a loud roar.

Rhinos are usually very aggressive. If the individual is annoyed, then it can rush to the elephant. They can even attack for no apparent reason, so you should not approach these animals.

When the Indian rhinoceros attacks, it does not use its horn, but its powerful incisors. In this way they inflict very deep wounds.

reproduction

Females of this species become sexually mature as early as 3-4 years, while males later - at 7-9. Every 1.5 months they have a rut. At the same time, the female begins to pursue the chosen one. The gestation period lasts about 16 months. One small rhinoceros is born, which can weigh about 65 kg. He has a pink skin, there are characteristic folds, but there is no horn yet.

In captivity, animals live up to 70 years, and in nature usually less.

Enemies in nature

Predatory animals do not attack them. Sometimes there are attacks of tigers, but only on babies, since the tiger is not able to defeat this animal in battle. They are not even afraid of elephants, fearlessly rushing at them. The elephant usually leaves.

1. Birds usually live next to rhinos. These are herons, and bee-eaters, and starlings. They prey on insects that the rhinoceros makes fly. Birds also feed on insects that live on the animal's skin.
2. It was this species that was the first of all the types of rhinos that people from Europe saw. For the first time among them, this animal was depicted by Dürer. It was an engraving called Rhinoceros. The artist created this work without seeing the animal. The rhino looked a bit wrong here. And in 1513 the animal was brought to Lisbon. It was a gift from the Raja to the King of Portugal. Then it was Manuel I. The animal was put on display as a curiosity for the people, after which it was sent to the Pope. It was supposed to be a gift, but it never made it to its destination. The ship sank in a storm.
3. Indian feudal lords amused themselves by hunting rhinos. This can be judged by the miniatures that have remained since the 16th century. On them, representatives of the Mughal dynasty hunt these animals, sitting on elephants.
4. Most of the damage to this species was caused by the hunting of the rhinoceros. There were legends that the horn of an animal has great power. The inhabitants of Asia were sure that this is a very good aphrodisiac, as well as a real salvation against poison. Even today, on the black market, the horn of this animal is very expensive. It is usually sold by poor Asians who want to get rich this way. But in India there are many laws that strictly protect these animals from poachers.

Video: Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis)

The Indian rhinoceros is one of the three species of Asian rhinoceros. The Indian rhinoceros is sometimes called the armored rhinoceros, since the numerous folds on its bumpy skin give the impression that the animal is dressed in armor. This is a characteristic feature of all Asian rhinos. It is attractive in its own way, and I would even say a cute animal. I really like rhinos, and of all the modern species, it is the Indian one that I like the most. The Indian rhinoceros is very stocky. Usually the height at the shoulders of adult males is approximately 180 cm, and the weight is usually about 2200 kg, but sometimes it can be much more, making it the second largest rhinoceros in the world after the white one and the largest rhinoceros in Asia. The female Indian rhinoceros is noticeably smaller than the males. Their weight averages about 1600 kg.
The Indian rhinoceros, unlike the African species (as well as the Sumatran), has one single horn, which never reaches such a huge size as the African species of rhinoceros. In the battle for a female or territory, males use not only their horn, but also powerful incisors of the lower jaw. Battles between males are ritual in nature. There are unwritten rules for such fights and they very rarely end in the death of one of the animals. However, on the muzzle and neck of males (especially old ones), many scars and welts can often be observed - evidence of many battles.
Indian rhinos are very fond of water, in which they spend quite a lot of time (much more than their African relatives). They are excellent swimmers and can swim across large rivers such as the Brahmaputra. Due to their addictions, Indian rhinos prefer to settle in marshy savannahs and shrublands, where they feed on grass, shoots, and aquatic vegetation. Its upper lip is pointed, reminiscent of the black rhinoceros, which also prefers to feed on young shrub shoots and leaves.
Possessing impressive size, great strength, fearlessness and reliably protected by thick skin, the adult Indian rhinoceros has practically no natural enemies. And the babies are reliably protected by the mother. Tigers do not attack these animals (we will not count out of the ordinary exceptions). Even the mighty elephant doesn't like to mess with this armored athlete. The Indian rhinoceros may seem clumsy to some, but this impression is deceptive. It can reach an impressive speed for such a heavyweight - about 50-55 km / h. In addition, the Indian rhinoceros, like other species, has the ability to accelerate very quickly and change directions dramatically.
The only enemy of the Indian rhinoceros is man. It is on the conscience of man that the catastrophic reduction in the population of this ancient animal. Currently, Indian rhinos, like everyone else, are under the strictest protection. The total number of Indian rhinos in the wild is approximately 2,000 individuals. Most of them live in the Kaziranga National Park, in the state of Assam. Several hundred live in North Bengal and Nepal.
Indian rhinos breed throughout the year. For the right to copulate with one or another female, bloody fights arise between males, during which they inflict, as already mentioned, cutting blows to each other with their large incisors. At this time, many scars and scars can be seen on the body of males. But rhinos don't fight to the death. As soon as one of the males has proved his superiority, he expels the loser and gets the right to mate with the female.
Pregnancy of female Indian rhinos lasts quite a long time - approximately 480 days. After that, one cub is born, which weighs about 70 kg. The mother takes care of her cub for 3 years. By this time, the female, as a rule, manages to become pregnant again, and not long before the next offspring appears, she expels her grown cub. At this age, a young rhinoceros is already able to take care of itself. Females reach sexual maturity at 4 years old, and males only at 9 years old. The life expectancy of Indian rhinos is usually around 40 years, but they can live longer (for example, in captivity).

Classification:

Order: Perissodactyla (equids)
Family: Rhinocerotidae (rhinos)
Genus: Rhinoceros
Species: Rhinoceros unicornis (Indian rhinoceros)

Habitat.