Indian Rhinoceros
Indian rhinoceros (from left to right: infant male, adult female, and juvenile female)
Conservation status
Endangered (IUCN 2.3)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Perissodactyla Family: Rhinocerotidae Genus: Rhinoceros Species: R. The conservation status of a Species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species remaining extant either in the present day or the near future An endangered species is a population of an organism which is at risk of becoming Extinct because it is either few in numbers or threatened by changing environmental or predation The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data List) created in 1963 is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global Chordates ( Phylum Chordata) are a group of Animals that includes the Vertebrates together with several closely related Invertebrates Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands The odd-toed ungulates are browsing and Grazing Mammals which compose the order Perissodactyla. Rhinoceros (raɪˈnɒsərəs often colloquially abbreviated rhino, is a name used to group five extant species of Odd-toed ungulates in the family The members of the genus Rhinoceros are the one-horned rhinoceroses unicornis
Binomial name
Rhinoceros unicornis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Indian Rhinoceros range

The Indian Rhinoceros or the Great One-horned Rhinoceros or the Asian One-horned Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) is a large mammal found in Nepal and in Assam, India. Carl Linnaeus (Latinized as Carolus Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as, May 23 new style (13 May old style 1707 who laid the foundations for Year 1758 ( MDCCLVIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia. Assam) ( Assamese: অসম Ôxôm) is a northeastern state of India with its capital at Dispur, a suburb of the city India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country It is confined to the tall grasslands and forests in the foothills of the Himalayas. Grasslands (also called greenswards) are areas where the Vegetation is dominated by Grasses ( Poaceae) and other Herbaceous (non-woody A forest is an area with a high density of Trees There are many definitions of a forest based on various criteria The Indian Rhinoceros can run at speeds of up to 25 mph for short periods of time and is also an excellent swimmer. It has an excellent sense of hearing and smell but relatively poor eyesight.

Contents 1 Taxonomy 1.1 Evolution 2 Description 3 Behavior 3.1 Diet 3.2 Social life 3.3 Reproduction 4 Range 5 Population & Threats 6 In captivity 7 Cultural depictions 8 Footnotes 9 References 10 External links

Taxonomy

The Indian Rhinoceros was the first rhinoceros known to Europeans. Rhinoceros (raɪˈnɒsərəs often colloquially abbreviated rhino, is a name used to group five extant species of Odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinoceros from the Greek, "rhino" meaning nose and "ceros" meaning horn. Unicornis is from the Latin, "uni" meaning one and "cornis" also meaning horn. The Indian Rhinoceros is monotypic, meaning there are no distinct subspecies. Monotypic is an adjective that refers to a taxonomic group with only one type: In Botany, "monotypic" means that a Taxon has only Rhinoceros unicornis was the type species for the rhinoceros family, first classified by Carolus Linnaeus in 1758. In Taxonomy, a type species is the species that originally defined a genus. Carl Linnaeus (Latinized as Carolus Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as, May 23 new style (13 May old style 1707 who laid the foundations for ^[2]

Evolution

Main article: Rhinoceros#Evolution

Ancestral rhinoceroses first diverged from other Perissodactyls in the Early Eocene. Rhinoceros (raɪˈnɒsərəs often colloquially abbreviated rhino, is a name used to group five extant species of Odd-toed ungulates in the family The odd-toed ungulates are browsing and Grazing Mammals which compose the order Perissodactyla. The Ypresian is the first stage of the Eocene Epoch and usually corresponds to the Early Eocene subepoch though sometimes the Lutetian Mitochondrial DNA comparison suggests that the ancestors of modern rhinos split from the ancestors of Equidae around 50 million years ago. Equidae is the family of horse-like animals which belong to the order Perissodactyla. ^[3] The extant family, the Rhinocerotidae, first appeared in the Late Eocene in Eurasia, and the ancestors of the extant rhino species dispersed from Asia beginning in the Miocene. For the superstate in George Orwell 's novel see Nations of Nineteen Eighty-Four. The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene period and extends from about 23 ^[4]

Fossils of Rhinoceros unicornis appear in the Middle Pleistocene. So far the Pleistocene Series is not subdivided into formal units (i In the Pleistocene, the Rhinoceros genus ranged throughout Southeast Asia and South Asia, with specimens located on Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island Into the Holocene, some rhinoceros lived as far west as Gujarat and Pakistan until as recently as 3,200 years ago. The Holocene is a Geological epoch which began approximately 10000 years ago (about 8000 BC Gujarat (ગુજરાત Gujǎrāt, pronounced) is a state in western India. Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and ^[2]

The Indian and Javan Rhinoceros, the only members of the genus Rhinoceros, first appear in the fossil record in Asia around 1. The members of the genus Rhinoceros are the one-horned rhinoceroses 6 million–3. 3 million years ago. Molecular estimates, however, suggest the species may have diverged much earlier, around 11. 7 million years ago. ^[5][3] Although belonging to the type genus, the Indian and Javan Rhinoceros are not believed to be closely related to other rhino species. In biology the phrase type genus is used differently depending on the nomenclatural ''Code'' that applies In zoological nomenclature, a type Different studies have hypothesized that they may be closely related to the extinct Gaindetherium or Punjabitherium. A detailed cladistic analysis of the Rhinocerotidae placed Rhinoceros and the extinct Punjabitherium in a clade with Dicerorhinus, the Sumatran Rhino. A clade is a taxonomic group comprising a single Common ancestor and all the descendants of that ancestor Dicerorhinus is a Genus of the family Rhinocerotidae, consisting of a single extant species the Sumatran Rhinoceros ( D Other studies have suggested the Sumatran Rhinoceros is more closely related to the two African species. ^[6] The Sumatran Rhino may have diverged from the other Asian rhinos as far back as 15 million years ago. ^[4][7]

Description

In size it is equal to that of the white rhino in Africa. The White Rhinoceros or Square-lipped rhinoceros ( Ceratotherium simum) is one of the five species of Rhinoceros that still exist and is one of the few Not including the white rhino, it is the largest of all rhinos, and probably the one with the best armor, along with the Javan rhino's armor. Armour (or armor) is protective covering most commonly manufactured from metals to prevent damage from being inflicted to an individual or a vehicle through use of direct contact The Javan Rhinoceros ( Sunda Rhinoceros to be more precise or Lesser One-horned Rhinoceros ( Rhinoceros sondaicus) is a member of the family Rhinocerotidae Fully grown males are larger than females in the wild, weighing from 2200- 3000 kg (4,800 - 6,600 lb). Female Indian rhinos weigh about 1600 kg. The Indian Rhino is from 5. 7 to 6. 7 feet tall and can be up to 13 feet long. The record-sized specimen of this rhino was approximately 3500 kg.

The Great One-Horned Rhinoceros has a single horn; this is present in both males and females, but not on newborn young. A horn is a pointed projection of the Skin on the head of various Mammals consisting of a covering of horn ( Keratin and other Proteins The horn, like human fingernails, is pure keratin and starts to show after about 6 years. Keratins are a family of fibrous structural proteins; tough and insoluble they form the hard but nonmineralized structures found in Reptiles Birds In most adults the horn reaches a length of about 25 centimeters,^[8] but have been recorded up to 57. 2 centimeters in length. The nasal horn curves backwards from the nose. Its horn is naturally black. In captive animals, the horn is frequently worn down to a thick knob. ^[2]

This prehistoric-looking rhinoceros has thick, silver-brown skin which becomes pinkish near the large skin folds that cover its body. Rhinoceros (raɪˈnɒsərəs often colloquially abbreviated rhino, is a name used to group five extant species of Odd-toed ungulates in the family Males develop thick neck-folds. Its upper legs and shoulders are covered in wart-like bumps. It has very little body hair, aside from eyelashes, ear-fringes and tail-brush. ^[2]

In captivity, four are known to have lived over 40 years, the oldest living to be 47. ^[2]

Behavior

These rhinos live in tall grasslands and riverine forests, but due to habitat loss they have been forced into more cultivated land. The Mughal Empire ( Persian and self-designation گورکانی; مغلیہ سلطنت) was an Islamic imperial power which ruled most Babur ( February 14 1483 - December 26 1530) was a Muslim conqueror from Central Asia who following a series of setbacks Grasslands (also called greenswards) are areas where the Vegetation is dominated by Grasses ( Poaceae) and other Herbaceous (non-woody Maritime geography is often discussed in terms of four loosely-defined regions Riverine, brown water, green water, and blue water. They are mostly solitary creatures, with the exception of mothers and calves and breeding pairs, although they sometimes congregate at bathing areas. They have home ranges, the home ranges of males being usually 2-8 square kilometers in size, and overlapping each other. Dominant males tolerate males passing through their territory except when they are in mating season, when dangerous fights break out. They are active at night and early morning. They spend the middle of the day wallowing in lakes, rivers, ponds, and puddles to cool down. They are extremely good swimmers. Over 10 distinct vocalizations have been recorded. Animal communication is any Behaviour on the part of one Animal that has an effect on the current or future behaviour of another animal

Indian rhinos have few natural enemies, except for tigers. The tiger ( Panthera tigris) is a member of the Felidae family the largest and the most powerful of the four " Big cats quot in the Genus Tigers sometimes kill unguarded calves, but adult rhinos are less vulnerable due to their size. Humans are the only other animal threat, hunting the rhinoceros primarily for sport or for the use of its horn. Mynahs and egrets both eat invertebrates from the rhino's skin and around its feet. Distinguish from Miner and Minor. The mynas (also spelt mynahs) are birds of the Starling family This is an article about a type of bird For the EGRET satellite mission see Energetic Gamma Ray Experiment Telescope. Tabanus flies, a type of horse-fly are known to bite rhinos. Insects in the order Diptera, family Tabanidae, are commonly called Horse flies, and sometimes also "forest flies" or "deer flies" The rhinos are also vulnerable to diseases spread by parasites such as leeches, ticks, and nematodes. Leeches are Annelids comprising the Subclass Hirudinea. There are freshwater terrestrial and marine leeches Tick is the common name for the small Arachnids in Superfamily Ixodoidea that along with other Mites constitute the Acarina. The nematodes or roundworms ( Phylum Nematoda from Greek (nema "thread" + -ode "like" are one of the most common Anthrax and the blood-disease septicemia are known to occur. Anthrax is an acute Disease in humans and animals caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis which is highly lethal in some forms Sepsis is a serious medical condition characterized by a whole-body inflammatory state (called a Systemic inflammatory response syndrome or SIRS caused ^[2]

Diet

The Indian Rhinoceros is a grazer. Grazing generally describes a type of Predation in which an Herbivore feeds on Plants (such as Grasses, or more broadly on a multicellular Their diet consists almost entirely of grasses, but the rhino is also known to eat leaves, branches of shrubs and trees, fruits and submerged and floating aquatic plants. ^[2]

Feeding occurs during the morning and evening. The rhino uses its prehensile lip to grasp grass stems, bend the stem down, bite off the top, and then eat the grass. With very tall grasses or saplings, the rhino will often walk over the plant, with its legs on both sides, using the weight of its body to bush the end of the plant to the level of the mouth. Mothers also use this technique to make food edible for their calves. They drink for a minute or two at a time, often imbibing water filled with rhinoceros urine. ^[2]

Social life

The Indian Rhinoceros forms a variety of social groupings. Adult males are generally solitary, except for mating and fighting. Adult females are largely solitary when they are without calves. Mothers will stay close to their calves for up to four years after their birth, sometimes allowing an older calf to continue to accompany her once a newborn calf arrives. Subadult males and females form consistent groupings as well. Groups of two or three young males will often form on the edge of the home ranges of dominant males, presumably for protection in numbers. Young females are slightly less social than the males. Indian Rhinos also form short-term groupings, particularly at forest wallows during the monsoon season and in grasslands during March and April. A monsoon is a seasonal prevailing wind which lasts for several months Groups of up to 10 rhinos may gather in wallows—typically a dominant male with females and calves, but no subadult males. ^[9]

The Indian Rhinoceros makes a wide variety of vocalizations. At least ten distinct vocalizations have been identified: snorting, honking, bleating, roaring, squeak-panting, moo-grunting, shrieking, groaning, rumbling and humphing. In addition to noises, the rhino uses olfactory communication. Adult males urinate backwards, as far as 3–4 meters behind them, often in response to being disturbed by observers. Like all rhinos, the Indian Rhinoceros often defecates near other large dung piles. The Indian Rhino has pedal scent glands which are used to mark their presence at these rhino latrines. Males have been observed walking with their heads to the ground as if sniffing, presumably following the scent of females. ^[9]

In aggregations, Indian Rhinos are often friendly. They will often greet each other by waving or bobbing their heads, mounting flanks, nuzzling noses, or licking. Rhinos will playfully spar, run around, and play with twigs in their mouth. Adult males are the primary instigators in fights. Fights between dominant males are the most common cause of rhino mortality, and males are also very aggressive toward females during courtship. Males will chase females over long distances and even attack them face-to-face. ^[9] Unlike African Rhinos, the Indian Rhino fights with its incisors, rather than its horns. ^[10]

Reproduction

In zoos, females may breed as young as four, but in the wild females are usually six before breeding begins. ^[11] The higher age in the wild may reflect that females need to be large enough to avoid being killed by the aggressive males. The Indian Rhinoceros has a very lengthy gestation period of around 15. 7 months. The interval between births ranges from 34–51 months. ^[12] In captivity, males may breed at five years. But in the wild, dominant males do the breeding, and rhinos do not not attain dominance until they are older and larger. In one five-year field study, only one rhino who achieved mating success was estimated to be younger than 15. ^[13]

Range

The rhino once inhabited areas from Pakistan to Burma & Bangladesh and may have even roamed in China. Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. ( Bengali: বাংলাদেশ inc-Latn Bangladesh) officially China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National But because of human influence their range has shrunk and now they only exist in small populations in northeastern India and Nepal. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia.

On the former abundance of the species, Thomas C. Jerdon wrote in 1874 in the Mammals of India:

This huge rhinoceros is found in the Terai at the foot of the Himalayas, from Bhotan to Nepal. Thomas Caverhill Jerdon (1811 - 1872 was a British Physician, Zoologist and Botanist. It is more common in the eastern portion of the Terai than the west, and is most abundant in Assam and the Bhotan Dooars. I have heard from sportsmen of its occurrence as far west as Rohilcund, but it is certainly rare there now, and indeed along the greater part of the Nepal Terai;. . . Jelpigoree, a small military station near the Teesta River, was a favourite locality whence to hunt the Rhinoceros and it was from that station Captain Fortescue, of the late 73rd N. I. , got his skulls, which were, strange to say, the first that Mr. Blyth had seen of this species, of which there were no specimens in the Museum of the Asiatic Society at the time when he wrote his Memoir on this group.

—Jerdon, T. C. 1874 The mammals of India.

Population & Threats

In the nineteenth and end early twentieth century, the Indian Rhinoceros was hunted relentlessly. Reports from the middle of the nineteenth century claim that some military officers in Assam individually shot more than 200 rhinos. In the early 1900s, colonial officials became concerned at the rhino's plummeting numbers. By 1908 in Kaziranga, one of the rhino's main ranges, the population had fallen to around 12 individuals. In 1910, all rhino hunting in India became prohibited. ^[2]

This rhino is a major success of conservation. Only 100 remained in the early 1900s and now their population has increased but even so they are still endangered.

The Indian rhino is illegally poached for its horn, which some cultures in East Asia believe has healing and potency powers and therefore is used for Traditional Chinese Medicine and other Oriental medicines. Traditional Chinese medicine (also known as TCM,) includes a range of traditional medical practices originating in China. Habitat loss is another threat. Fewer than 2500 individuals remain in the wild, and the species is endangered. In Biology, a species is one of the basic units of Biological classification and a Taxonomic rank.

The Indian and Nepalese governments have taken major steps toward Indian Rhinoceros conservation with the help of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The Kaziranga National Park and Manas National Park in Assam, Pobitora reserve forest in Assam (having the highest Indian rhino density in the world), Orang National park of Assam, Laokhowa reserve forest of Assam having a very small population and Royal Chitwan National Park in Nepal are homes for this endangered animal. Kaziranga National Park (কাজিৰঙা ৰাষ্ট্ৰীয় উদ্যান, pronounced) is a national park in the Golaghat and Manas National Park is a National Park, UNESCO Natural World Heritage site, a Project Tiger Reserve an Elephant Reserve and a Biosphere Chitwan National Park (formerly called "Royal Chitwan National Park(RCNP")(CNP covering an area of 932 km² is the oldest national park of Nepal.

Demographic trends of Rhinoceros unicornis. Sources : here.

YEAR TOTAL INDIA NEPAL 1910 100 1952 350 300 50 1958 700 400 300 1963 600 1964 625 440 185 1966 740 575 165 1968 680 1971 630 1983 1000 1984 1500 1986 1711 1334 377 1987 1700 1990 1700 1994 1900 1995 2135 1600 535 1997 2095 1998 2100 2000 2500 2002 2500 2005 2400

In captivity

Indian Rhinos have been somewhat tamed and trained in circuses, but remain dangerous and unpredictable animals. The Indian Rhinoceros was initially difficult to breed in captivity. The first recorded captive birth of a rhinoceros was in Kathmandu in 1826, but another successful birth would not occur for nearly 100 years; in 1925 a rhino was born in Calcutta. Kathmandu (काठमांडौ येँ is the Capital and the largest city of Nepal. No rhinoceros was successfully bred in Europe until 1956, but in the second half of the 20th century, zoos became adept at breeding Indian rhinoceros. By 1983, nearly 40 had been born in captivity. ^[2]

Cultural depictions

The Rhinoceros

Albrecht Dürer, 1515

woodcut, 24. Dürer's Rhinoceros is the name commonly given to a Woodcut created by German painter and Printmaker Albrecht Dürer in Albrecht Dürer (ˈalbʀɛçt ˈdyʀɐ ( May 21, 1471 &ndash April 6, 1528) was a German painter, Printmaker 8 × 31. 7 cm

See also: Dürer's Rhinoceros

The Indian Rhinoceros was the first rhino widely known outside its range. Dürer's Rhinoceros is the name commonly given to a Woodcut created by German painter and Printmaker Albrecht Dürer in The first rhinoceros to reach Europe in modern times arrived in Lisbon on May 20, 1515. Events 325 - The First Council of Nicaea &ndash the first Ecumenical Council of the Christian Church is held King Manuel I of Portugal planned to send the rhinoceros to Pope Leo X, but the rhino perished in a shipwreck. Manuel I (mɐnuˈɛɫ Archaic Portuguese: Manoel I, English: Emmanuel I) the Fortunate ( Port Pope Leo X, born Giovanni de' Medici (December 11 1475 – December 1 1521 was Pope from 1513 to his death Before dying, however, the rhino had been sketched by an unknown artist. A German artist named Albrecht Dürer, saw the sketches and descriptions and created a woodcut of the rhino, known ever after as Dürer's Rhinoceros. Albrecht Dürer (ˈalbʀɛçt ˈdyʀɐ ( May 21, 1471 &ndash April 6, 1528) was a German painter, Printmaker Dürer's Rhinoceros is the name commonly given to a Woodcut created by German painter and Printmaker Albrecht Dürer in Though the drawing had some anatomical inaccuracies (notably the hornlet protruding from the rhino's shoulder), his sketch became the enduring image of a rhinoceros in western culture for centuries.

Footnotes

References

• Dinerstein, Eric (2003), The Return of the Unicorns; The Natural History and Conservation of the Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros, New York: Columbia University Press, ISBN 0-231-08450-1 
• Foose, Thomas J. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Columbia University Press is a University press based in New York City, and affiliated with Columbia University. and van Strien, Nico (1997), Asian Rhinos – Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan. , IUCN, Gland, Switzerland, and Cambridge, UK, ISBN 2-8317-0336-0 
• Fulconis, R. (ed. ) (2005). Save the rhinos: EAZA Rhino Campaign 2005/6. London: European Association of Zoos and Aquaria. The European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA is an organisation for the European zoo and aquarium community  

External links

• Indian Rhino Info & Indian Rhino Pictures on the Rhino Resource Center
• Indian Rhino page at International Rhino Foundation website
• Greater Indian Rhinoceros page at TheBigZoo.com
• Indian Rhino page at AnimalInfo.org
• Indian Rhino page at AmericaZoo.com
• Indian Rhinoceros page at nature.ca
• Indian Rhinoceros page at UltimateUngulate.com
• Short narrated video about the Indian Rhinoceros
• Images, videos and information on the Indian Rhinoceros
• Asian Rhino Foundation

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