120-477: The Indian rhinoceros ( Rhinoceros unicornis ), also known as the greater one-horned rhinoceros , great Indian rhinoceros , or Indian rhino for short, is a rhinoceros species native to the Indian subcontinent . It is the second largest extant species of rhinoceros, with adult males weighing 2.07–2.2 tonnes and adult females 1.6 tonnes. The skin is thick and is grey-brown in colour with pinkish skin folds. They have
240-435: A herbivorous diet, small brains 400–600 g (14–21 oz) for mammals of their size, one or two horns, and a thick 1.5–5 cm (0.59–1.97 in), protective skin formed from layers of collagen positioned in a lattice structure. They generally eat leafy material, although their ability to ferment food in their hindgut allows them to subsist on more fibrous plant matter when necessary. Unlike other perissodactyls ,
360-611: A 20-year-old male Indian rhinoceros in Dudhwa Tiger Reserve . Such cases are rare, as Indian rhinoceroses—like most megaherbivores —are mostly invulnerable to predation. Indian rhinos are grazers . Their diet consists almost entirely of grasses (such as Arundo donax , Bambusa tulda , Cynodon dactylon , and Oryza sativa ), but they also eat leaves, twigs and branches of shrubs and trees (such as Lagerstroemia indica ), flowers, fruits (such as Ficus religiosa ), and submerged and floating aquatic plants . They feed in
480-713: A barrel chest and lived until about five million years ago. The last rhinos in the Americas became extinct during the Pliocene . Modern rhinos are thought to have begun dispersal from Asia during the Miocene . Alongside the extant species, four additional species of rhinoceros survived into the Last Glacial Period : the woolly rhinoceros ( Coelodonta antiquitatis ), Elasmotherium sibiricum and two species of Stephanorhinus , Merck's rhinoceros ( Stephanorhinus kirchbergensis ) and
600-638: A distortion of either the Afrikaans word wyd or the Dutch word wijd (or its other possible spellings whyde , weit , etc.,), meaning "wide" and referring to the rhino's square lips, is not supported by linguistic studies. The white rhino has an immense body and large head, a short neck and broad chest. Females weigh 1,600 kg (3,500 lb) and males 2,400 kg (5,300 lb) on average, though exceptional specimens can reportedly weigh up to 4,500 kg (9,900 lb). The head-and-body length
720-759: A few pairs in Uttar Pradesh ) and Nepal, plus a pair in Lal Suhanra National Park in Pakistan reintroduced there from Nepal. They are confined to the tall grasslands and forests in the foothills of the Himalayas . Two-thirds of the world's Indian rhinoceroses are now confined to the Kaziranga National Park situated in the Golaghat district of Assam , India. The Javan rhinoceros ( Rhinoceros sondaicus )
840-476: A germinative layer. Woolly rhinoceros Rhinoceros lenenesis Pallas Rhinoceros antiquitatis Blumenbach Rhinoceros tichorhinus Fischer. The woolly rhinoceros ( Coelodonta antiquitatis ) is an extinct species of rhinoceros that inhabited northern Eurasia during the Pleistocene epoch . The woolly rhinoceros was a member of the Pleistocene megafauna . The woolly rhinoceros
960-484: A grazing feeding preference. In particular, the enlargement of the temporalis and neck muscles is consistent with that required to resist the large tugging forces generated when taking large mouthfuls of fodder from the ground. The presence of a large diastema supports this theory. Comparisons with living perissodactyls confirm that the woolly rhinoceros was a hindgut fermentor with a single stomach, consuming cellulose -rich, protein -poor fodder. It had to consume
1080-578: A head and two legs of a rhinoceros from the locals in Irkutsk , and named the species Rhinoceros lenenesis (after the Lena River ). In 1799, Johann Friedrich Blumenbach studied rhinoceros bones from the collection of the University of Göttingen , and proposed the scientific name Rhinoceros antiquitatis . The geologist Heinrich Georg Bronn moved the species to Coelodonta in 1831 because of its differences in dental formation with members of
1200-540: A heavy amount of food to account for the low nutritive content of its diet. Woolly rhinos living in the Arctic during the Last Glacial Maximum consumed approximately equal volumes of forbs , such as Artemisia , and graminoids . Pollen analysis shows it also ate woody plants (including conifers , willows and alders ), along with flowers, forbs and mosses . Isotope studies on horns show that
1320-527: A minute or two at a time, often imbibing water filled with rhinoceros urine. Indian rhinos form a variety of social groupings. Bulls are generally solitary, except for mating and fighting. Cows 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 bulls and cows form consistent groupings, as well. Groups of two or three young bulls often form on
SECTION 10
#17330927024181440-709: A mother and her daughter, were reintroduced to the sanctuary from Kaziranga National Park as part of the Indian Rhino Vision 2020 (IRV 2020) program, but both animals died within months due to natural causes. Indian rhinos were once found as far west as the Peshawar Valley during the reign of Mughal Emperor Babur , but are now extinct in Pakistan. After rhinos became "regionally extinct" in Pakistan, two rhinos from Nepal were introduced in 1983 to Lal Suhanra National Park , which have not bred so far. Indian rhinoceroses were initially difficult to breed in captivity. In
1560-714: A population of 339 individuals, including 287 in Jaldapara National Park and 52 in Gorumara National Park . Only 38 individuals are found in Dudhwa National Park , in Uttar Pradesh . By 2014, the population in Assam increased to 2,544 Indian rhinos, an increase of 27% since 2006, although more than 150 individuals were killed by poachers during these years. The population in Kaziranga National Park
1680-688: A secluded area, and becomes aggressive towards other rhinoceroses for a while after giving birth. Calves typically stand up within 30 minutes of birth and being to suck on their mothers teats within 2 hours of birth. The mother generally has a strong bond with her most recently born calf. The calf generally remains close to its mother the majority of the time, although at least in some species they are sometimes left considerable distances away. Up until they are around 3 years old, juvenile rhinoceroses are vulnerable to predation. Mothers are vigorously protective of their calves against potential predators. Juvenile one-horned rhinoceroses are rejected by their mothers around
1800-600: A shoulder height of 1.4–1.5 metres (4.6–4.9 ft). By more than 14 years of age, woolly rhinos became fully mature, old adults with a shoulder height of 1.6 metres (5.2 ft). C. antiquitatis individuals of old age display extensive wear and loss of their anterior premolars as a result of tooth abrasion from their intensive grazing lifestyle. The woolly rhinoceros lived mainly in lowlands , plateaus and river valleys, with dry to arid climates, and migrated to higher elevations in favourable climate phases. It avoided mountain ranges, due to heavy snow and steep terrain that
1920-425: A shoulder height of 163–193 cm (5.35–6.33 ft), while cows have a head and body length of 310–340 cm (10.2–11.2 ft) and a shoulder height of 147–173 cm (4.82–5.68 ft). The bull, averaging about 2,070–2,200 kg (4,560–4,850 lb) is heavier than the cow, at an average of about 1,600 kg (3,530 lb). The rich presence of blood vessels underneath the tissues in folds gives them
2040-410: A similar life history to modern rhinos. Studies on milk teeth show that individuals developed similarly to both the white and black rhinoceros . The two teats in the female suggest that she raised one calf, or more rarely two, every two to three years. With their massive horns and size, adults had few predators, but young individuals could have been attacked by cave hyenas and cave lions . A skull
2160-461: A single horn 20 to 60 cm long. It is nearly as large as the African white rhino. Its thick, silver-brown skin folds into the shoulder, back, and rump, giving it an armored appearance. Its upper legs and shoulders are covered in wart -like bumps, and it has very little body hair. Grown males are larger than females in the wild, weighing from 2,500–3,200 kg (5,500–7,100 lb). Shoulder height
2280-409: A single horn on their snout that grows to a maximum of 57.2 cm (22.5 in). Their upper legs and shoulders are covered in wart-like bumps, and aside from the eyelashes, ear fringes and tail brush, Indian rhinoceroses are nearly hairless. The Indian rhinoceros is a largely solitary animal , only associating in the breeding season and when rearing calves. They are grazers , and their diet
2400-1427: A survey conducted from 11 April to 2 May 2015. The survey showed that the population of rhinos in Nepal from 2011 to 2015 increased 21% or 111 individuals. The Indian rhino population, which once numbered as low as 100 individuals in the early 1900s, has increased to more than 3,700 in the year 2021 as per The International Rhino Foundation. Bulls are usually solitary. Groups consist of cows with calves, or of up to six subadults. Such groups congregate at wallows and grazing areas. They are foremost active in early mornings, late afternoons and at night, but rest during hot days. They bathe regularly. The folds in their skin trap water and hold it even when they exit wallows. They are excellent swimmers and can run at speeds of up to 55 km/h (34 mph) for short periods. They have excellent senses of hearing and smell, but relatively poor eyesight. Over 10 distinct vocalisations have been recorded. Males have home ranges of around 2 to 8 km (0.77 to 3.09 sq mi) that overlap each other. Dominant males tolerate other males passing through their territories except when they are in mating season, when dangerous fights break out. Indian rhinos have few natural enemies, except for tigers, which sometimes kill unguarded calves, but adult rhinos are less vulnerable due to their size. Mynahs and egrets both eat invertebrates from
2520-474: A wide variety of vocalisations. At least 10 distinct vocalisations have been identified: snorting, honking, bleating, roaring, squeak-panting, moo-grunting, shrieking, groaning, rumbling and humphing. In addition to noises, the Indian rhino uses olfactory communication . Adult bulls urinate backwards, as far as 3–4 m (9.8–13.1 ft) behind them, often in response to being disturbed by observers. Like all rhinos,
SECTION 20
#17330927024182640-463: Is 1.75–2.0 m (5.7–6.6 ft). Females weigh about 1,900 kg (4,200 lb) and are 3–4 m (9.8–13 ft) long. The record-sized specimen was approximately 4,000 kg (8,800 lb). Indian rhinos once inhabited many areas ranging from Pakistan to Myanmar and maybe even parts of China. Because of humans, they now exist in only several protected areas of India (in Assam , West Bengal, and
2760-448: Is 3.5–4.6 m (11–15 ft) and the shoulder height is 1.8–2 m (5.9–6.6 ft). On its snout it has two horns . The front horn is larger than the other horn and averages 90 cm (35 in) in length and can reach 150 cm (59 in). The white rhinoceros also has a prominent muscular hump that supports its relatively large head. The colour of this animal can range from yellowish brown to slate grey. Most of its body hair
2880-439: Is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae ; it can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species of the superfamily Rhinocerotoidea . Two of the extant species are native to Africa, and three to South and Southeast Asia. Rhinoceroses are some of the largest remaining megafauna : all weigh at least one tonne in adulthood. They have
3000-570: Is bought by wealthy consumers to use in traditional Chinese medicine , among other uses. Rhino horns are made of keratin , the same material as hair and fingernails , and there is no good evidence of any health benefits. A market also exists for rhino horn dagger handles in Yemen, which was the major source of demand for rhino horn in the 1970s and 1980s. Ceratotherium simum Diceros bicornis Dicerorhinus sumatrensis Rhinoceros sondaicus Rhinoceros unicornis The word rhinoceros
3120-586: Is derived through Latin from the Ancient Greek : ῥινόκερως , which is composed of ῥινο- ( rhino- , "of the nose") and κέρας ( keras , " horn ") with a horn on the nose. The name has been in use since the 14th century. The family Rhinocerotidae consists of only four extant genera: Ceratotherium (white rhinoceros), Diceros (black rhinoceros), Dicerorhinus (Sumatran rhinoceros), and Rhinoceros (Indian and Javan rhinoceros). The living species fall into three categories. The two African species,
3240-506: Is found on the ear fringes and tail bristles, with the rest distributed rather sparsely over the rest of the body. White rhinos have the distinctive flat broad mouth that is used for grazing. The name "black rhinoceros" ( Diceros bicornis ) was chosen to distinguish this species from the white rhinoceros ( Ceratotherium simum ). This can be confusing, as the two species are not truly distinguishable by color. There are four subspecies of black rhino: South-central ( Diceros bicornis minor ),
3360-573: Is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List , as populations are fragmented and restricted to less than 20,000 km (7,700 sq mi). As of August 2018, the global population was estimated to comprise 3,588 individuals. Indian rhinos once ranged throughout the entire stretch of the Indo-Gangetic Plain , but excessive hunting and agricultural development reduced its range drastically to 11 sites in northern India and southern Nepal . In
3480-621: Is listed as vulnerable by the IUCN Red list , as of 2018. Globally, R. unicornis has been listed in CITES Appendix I since 1975. The Indian and Nepalese governments have taken major steps towards Indian rhinoceros conservation, especially with the help of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and other non-governmental organisations. In 1910, all rhino hunting in India became prohibited. In 1957,
3600-415: Is mainly grass, but may also include twigs, leaves, branches, shrubs, flowers, fruits, and aquatic plants. Females give birth to a single calf after a gestation of 15.7 months; the birth interval is 34 to 51 months. Captive individuals can live up to 47 years. The Indian rhinoceros is susceptible to diseases such as anthrax , and those caused by parasites such as leeches , ticks , and nematodes . It
3720-681: Is most abundant in Assam and the Bhutan 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 ... got his skulls, which were ...
Indian rhinoceros - Misplaced Pages Continue
3840-553: Is one of the most endangered large mammals in the world. According to 2015 estimates, only about 60 remain, in Java, Indonesia, all in the wild. It is also the least known rhino species. Like the closely related, and larger, Indian rhinoceros , the Javan rhino has a single horn. Its hairless, hazy gray skin falls into folds into the shoulder, back, and rump, giving it an armored appearance. Its length reaches 3.1–3.2 m (10–10 ft) including
3960-726: Is reported of Zimbabwe, while Nepal has largely avoided the crisis. Poachers have become more sophisticated. South African officials have called for urgent action against poaching after poachers killed the last female rhino in the Krugersdorp Game Reserve near Johannesburg . Statistics from South African National Parks show that 333 rhinoceroses were killed in South Africa in 2010, increasing to 668 by 2012, over 1,004 in 2013, and over 1,338 killed in 2015. In some cases rhinos are tranquilized and their horns removed leaving them to bleed to death, while in other instances more than
4080-476: Is slightly back-curved with a base of about 18.5 cm (7.3 in) by 12 cm (4.7 in) that rapidly narrows until a smooth, even stem part begins about 55 mm (2.2 in) above base. In captive animals, the horn is frequently worn down to a thick knob. The Indian rhino's single horn is present in both bulls and cows, but not on newborn calves. The horn is pure keratin , like human fingernails, and starts to show after about six years. In most adults,
4200-547: Is the smallest extant rhinoceros species, as well as the one with the most hair. It can be found at very high altitudes in Borneo and Sumatra . Because of habitat loss and poaching , their numbers have declined, and it has become the second most threatened rhinoceros. About 275 Sumatran rhinos are believed to remain. There are three subspecies of Sumatran rhinoceros: the Sumatran rhinoceros proper ( Dicerorhinus sumatrensis sumatrensis ),
4320-528: The Rhinoceros genus. This name comes from the Greek ;words κοιλος ( koilos , "hollow") and ὀδούς ( odoús "tooth"), from the depression in the rhino's molar structure, giving the scientific name Coelodonta antiquitatis , "hollow-tooth of antiquity". The woolly rhinoceros was the most recent species of the genus Coelodonta . The closest living relative of Coelodonta is the Sumatran rhinoceros , and
4440-474: The Ancient Greek : ῥινόκερως , which is composed of ῥινο- ( rhino- , "of the nose") and κέρας ( keras , " horn ") with a horn on the nose. The name has been in use since the 14th century. The Latin word ūnicornis means "one-horned". Ancestral rhinoceroses first diverged from other perissodactyls in the Early Eocene . Mitochondrial DNA comparison suggests the ancestors of modern rhinos split from
4560-539: The Bornean rhinoceros ( Dicerorhinus sumatrensis harrissoni ) and the possibly extinct Northern Sumatran rhinoceros ( Dicerorhinus sumatrensis lasiotis ). A mature rhino typically stands about 1.3 m (4 ft 3 in) high at the shoulder, has a length of 2.4–3.2 m (7 ft 10 in – 10 ft 6 in) and weighs around 700 kg (1,500 lb), though the largest individuals have been known to weigh as much as 1,000 kilograms (2,200 lb). Like
4680-564: The Brahmaputra Valley of Assam . The species was present in northern Bihar and Oudh at least until 1770 as indicated in maps produced by Colonel Gentil . On the former abundance of the species, Thomas C. Jerdon wrote in 1867: This huge rhinoceros is found in the Terai at the foot of the Himalayas, from Bhutan to Nepal. It is more common in the eastern portion of the Terai than the west, and
4800-599: The Chitwan 's forest and grasslands extended over more than 2,600 km (1,000 sq mi) and were home to about 800 rhinos. When poor farmers from the mid-hills moved to the Chitwan Valley in search of arable land, the area was subsequently opened for settlement, and poaching of wildlife became rampant. The Chitwan population has repeatedly been jeopardised by poaching; in 2002 alone, poachers killed 37 animals to saw off and sell their valuable horns. The Indian rhinoceros
4920-710: The Indian rhinoceros and the Javan rhinoceros , which diverged from one another about 10 million years ago. The Sumatran rhinoceros is the only surviving representative of the Dicerorhinini. A subspecific hybrid white rhino ( Ceratotherium s. simum × C. s. cottoni ) was bred at the Dvůr Králové Zoo (Zoological Garden Dvur Kralove nad Labem) in the Czech Republic in 1977. Interspecific hybridisation of black and white rhinoceroses has also been confirmed. While
Indian rhinoceros - Misplaced Pages Continue
5040-647: The Narrow-nosed rhinoceros ( Stephanorhinus hemitoechus) . The woolly rhinoceros appeared in China around 1 million years ago and first arrived in Europe around 600,000 years ago. It reappeared 200,000 years ago, alongside the woolly mammoth , and became numerous. Elasmotherium was two meters tall, five meters long and weighed around five tons, with a single enormous horn, hypsodont teeth and long legs for running. The latest known well dated bones of Elasmotherium in found in
5160-401: The northern white rhinoceros ( Ceratotherium simum cottoni ). As of 2013, the southern subspecies has a wild population of 20,405—making them the most abundant rhino subspecies in the world. The northern subspecies is critically endangered, with all that is known to remain being two captive females. There is no conclusive explanation of the name "white rhinoceros". A popular idea that "white" is
5280-531: The rutting season. Fossil skulls indicate damage from the front horns of other rhinos, and lower jaws and back ribs show signs of being broken and re-formed, which may have also come from fighting. The apparent frequency of intraspecific combat, compared to recent rhinos, was likely a result of rapid climatic change during the last glacial period, when the animal faced increased stress from competition with other large herbivores. Woolly rhinoceroses mostly fed on grasses and sedges that grew in
5400-476: The white rhinoceros and the black rhinoceros , belong to the tribe Dicerotini, which originated in the middle Miocene , about 14.2 million years ago. The species diverged during the early Pliocene (about 5 million years ago). The main difference between black and white rhinos is the shape of their mouths – white rhinos have broad flat lips for grazing, whereas black rhinos have long pointed lips for eating foliage. There are two living Rhinocerotini species,
5520-584: The 1930s they were nearly hunted to extinction in Nepal, India, Burma, Peninsular Malaysia , and Sumatra for the supposed medical powers of their horns and blood. As of 2015, only 58–61 individuals remain in Ujung Kulon National Park , Java, Indonesia. The last known Javan rhino in Vietnam was reportedly killed for its horn in 2011 by Vietnamese poachers. Now only Java contains the last Javan rhinos. The Sumatran rhinoceros ( Dicerorhinus sumatrensis )
5640-419: The 20th century, their numbers were severely reduced from an estimated 70,000 in the late 1960s to a record low of 2,410 in 1995. Since then, numbers have been steadily increasing at a continental level with numbers doubling to 4,880 by the end of 2010. As of 2008, the numbers are still 90% lower than three generations ago. The Indian rhinoceros , or greater one-horned rhinoceros, ( Rhinoceros unicornis ) has
5760-477: The African species, it has two horns; the larger is the front (25–79 centimetres (9.8–31.1 in)), with the smaller usually less than 10 centimetres (3.9 in) long. Males have much larger horns than the females. Hair can range from dense (the densest hair in young calves) to sparse. The color of these rhinos is reddish brown. The body is short and has stubby legs. The lip is prehensile . Sumatran rhinoceros once were spread across South-east Asia, but now are on
5880-448: The Eocene epoch and lived until the early Miocene . The first paraceratheres were only about the size of large dogs, growing progressively larger in the late Eocene and Oligocene. The largest genus of the family was Paraceratherium , which was more than twice as heavy as a bull African elephant, and was one of the largest land mammals that ever lived. The family of all modern rhinoceroses,
6000-704: The Indian rhino European Endangered Species Programme is also being coordinated there, with the goal of maintaining genetic diversity in the global captive Indian rhinoceros population. Rhinoceros Ceratotherium Dicerorhinus Diceros Rhinoceros † Coelodonta † Stephanorhinus † Elasmotherium Fossil genera, see text A rhinoceros ( / r aɪ ˈ n ɒ s ər ə s / ry- NOSS -ə-rəss ; from Ancient Greek ῥινόκερως ( rhinókerōs ) 'nose-horned'; from ῥίς ( rhis ) 'nose' and κέρας ( kéras ) 'horn'; pl. : rhinoceros or rhinoceroses ), commonly abbreviated to rhino ,
6120-438: The Indian rhino's status. Additionally, a small population of rhinos may be prone to inbreeding depression. Sport hunting became common in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and was the main cause for the decline of Indian rhinoceros populations. Indian rhinos were hunted relentlessly and persistently. Reports from the mid-19th century claim that some British military officers shot more than 200 rhinos in Assam alone. By 1908,
SECTION 50
#17330927024186240-534: The Indian rhinoceros after conservation measures were put in place from the beginning of the 20th century, when legal hunting ended. From 1980 to 1993, 692 rhinos were poached in India, including 41 rhinos in India's Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary in 1983, almost the entire population of the sanctuary. By the mid-1990s, the Indian rhinoceros had been extirpated in this sanctuary. Between 2000 and 2006, more than 150 rhinos were poached in Assam. Almost 100 rhinos were poached in India between 2013 and 2018. In 1950, in Nepal
6360-554: 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. Bulls have been observed walking with their heads to the ground as if sniffing, presumably following the scent of cows. 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. Indian rhinos will playfully spar, run around, and play with twigs in their mouths. Adult bulls are
6480-722: The Indian- Myanmar border, including Bangladesh and the southern parts of Nepal and Bhutan . They may have also occurred in Myanmar, southern China and Indochina . They inhabit the alluvial grasslands of the Terai and the Brahmaputra basin. As a result of habitat destruction and climatic changes its range has gradually been reduced so that by the 19th century, it only survived in the Terai grasslands of southern Nepal , northern Uttar Pradesh , northern Bihar , northern West Bengal , and in
6600-591: The Rhinocerotidae, first appeared in the Late Eocene in Eurasia. The earliest members of Rhinocerotidae were small and numerous; at least 26 genera lived in Eurasia and North America until a wave of extinctions in the middle Oligocene wiped out most of the smaller species. Several independent lineages survived. Menoceras , a pig-sized rhinoceros, had two horns side by side. The North American Teleoceras had short legs,
6720-582: The Sumatran rhinoceros around 9.4 million years ago, with Coelodonta diverging from Stephanorhinus around 5.5 million years ago. The oldest known species of Coelodonta, Coelodonta thibetana is known from the Pliocene of Tibet dating to approximately 3.7 million years ago, with the genus being present in Siberia, Mongolia, and China during the Early Pleistocene . The woolly rhinoceros first appeared during
6840-526: The Sumatran rhinoceros. To conserve it, they would have to relocate them from small forests to breeding programs that could monitor their breeding success. To boost reproduction, the Malaysian and Indonesian governments could also agree to exchange the gametes of the Sumatran and (smaller) Bornean subspecies. The Indonesian and Malaysian governments have also proposed a single management unit for these two ancient subspecies. Plantations for palm oil have taken out
6960-508: The ancestors of Equidae around 50 million years ago. 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 . The last common ancestor of living rhinoceroses belonging to the subfamily Rhinocerotinae is suggested to have lived around 16 million years ago, with the ancestors of
7080-798: The ancestors of living African rhinoceroses and the genus Rhinoceros , as well as between the ancestors of the genus Rhinoceros and the ancestors of the woolly rhinoceros and Stephanorhinus . A cladogram showing the relationships of recent and Late Pleistocene rhinoceros species (minus Stephanorhinus hemitoechus ) based on whole nuclear genomes, after Liu et al., 2021: † Elasmotherium sibiricum White Rhinoceros ( Ceratotherium simum ) Black rhinoceros ( Diceros bicornis ) † Woolly rhinoceros ( Coelodonta antiquitatis ) † Merck's rhinoceros ( Stephanorhinus kirchbergensis ) Sumatran rhinoceros ( Dicerorhinus sumatrensis ) Javan rhinoceros ( Rhinoceros sondaicus ) Indian rhinoceros ( Rhinoceros unicornis ) The earliest fossils of
7200-462: The animal could not easily cross. The rhino's main habitat was the mammoth steppe, a large, open landscape covered with wide ranges of grass and bushes. The woolly rhinoceros lived alongside other large herbivores, such as the woolly mammoth , giant deer , reindeer , saiga antelope and bison – an assortment of animals known as the Mammuthus - Coelodonta Faunal Complex. With its wide distribution,
7320-399: The black rhinoceros has 84 chromosomes (diploid number, 2N, per cell), all other rhinoceros species have 82 chromosomes. Chromosomal polymorphism might lead to varying chromosome counts. For instance, in a study there were three northern white rhinoceroses with 81 chromosomes. There are two subspecies of white rhinoceros: the southern white rhinoceros ( Ceratotherium simum simum ) and
SECTION 60
#17330927024187440-527: The chest and shoulders. The skull had a length between 70 and 90 cm (30 and 35 in). It was longer than those of other rhinoceros, giving the head a deep, downward-facing slanting position, similar to its fossil relative Stephanorhinus hemitoechus and Elasmotherium as well as the white rhinoceros. Strong muscles on its long occipital bone formed its neck hock and held the massive skull. Its massive lower jaw measured up to 60 cm (24 in) long and 10 cm (4 in) high. The teeth of
7560-400: The claws of giant birds, and classified the animal under the name Gryphus antiquitatis , meaning " griffin of antiquity". One of the earliest scientific descriptions of an ancient rhinoceros species was made in 1769, when the naturalist Peter Simon Pallas wrote a report on his expeditions to Siberia where he found a skull and two horns in the permafrost. In 1772, Pallas acquired
7680-523: The country's first conservation law ensured the protection of rhinos and their habitat . In 1959, Edward Pritchard Gee undertook a survey of the Chitwan Valley , and recommended the creation of a protected area north of the Rapti River and of a wildlife sanctuary south of the river for a trial period of 10 years. After his subsequent survey of Chitwan in 1963, he recommended extension of the sanctuary to
7800-401: The desolate winters of the mammoth steppe. Frozen specimens indicate that the rhino's long fur coat was reddish-brown, with a thick undercoat that lay under a layer of long, coarse guard hair thickest on the withers and neck. Shorter hair covered the limbs, keeping snow from attaching. The body's length ended with a 45-to-50-centimetre (18 to 20 in) tail with a brush of coarse hair at
7920-706: The early Eocene . Fossils of Hyrachyus eximus found in North America date to this period. This small hornless ancestor resembled a tapir or small horse more than a rhino. Four families, sometimes grouped together as the superfamily Rhinocerotoidea , evolved in the late Eocene, namely the Hyracodontidae, Amynodontidae, Paraceratheriidae and Rhinocerotidae. Hyracodontidae , also known as "running rhinos", showed adaptations for speed, and would have looked more like horses than modern rhinos. The smallest hyracodontids were dog-sized. Hyracodontids spread across Eurasia from
8040-421: The early Middle Pleistocene in China, and the oldest remains of the species in Europe, which represents the only species of Coelodonta to have been present in the region, date to approximately 450,000 years ago. The woolly rhinoceros is divided into two chrono -subspecies, with C. a. praecursor from the middle Pleistocene and C. a. antiquitatis from the late Pleistocene. Mitochondrial genomes suggest that
8160-438: The early 1990s, between 1,870 and 1,895 Indian rhinos were estimated to have been alive. Since then, numbers have increased due to conservation measures taken by the government. However, poaching remains a continuous threat. Rhinoceros unicornis was the scientific name used by Carl Linnaeus in 1758 who described a rhinoceros with one horn. As type locality , he indicated Africa and India. He described two species in India,
8280-401: The edge of the home ranges of dominant bulls, presumably for protection in numbers. Young cows are slightly less social than the bulls. Indian rhinos also form short-term groupings, particularly at forest wallows during the monsoon season and in grasslands during March and April. Groups of up to 10 rhinos, typically a dominant male with females and calves, gather in wallows. Indian rhinos make
8400-459: The end. Females had two nipples on the udders . The woolly rhinoceros had several features which reduced the body's surface area and minimized heat loss. Its ears were no longer than 24 cm ( 9 + 1 ⁄ 2 in), while those of rhinos in hot climates are about 30 cm (12 in). Their tails were also relatively shorter. It also had thick skin, ranging from 5 to 15 mm ( 1 ⁄ 4 to 5 ⁄ 8 in), heaviest on
8520-420: The extent of grasslands and wetland habitats due to woodland encroachment and silting up of beels (swampy wetlands). Grazing by domestic livestock is another cause. The Indian rhino species is inherently at risk because over 70% of its population occurs at a single site, Kaziranga National Park. Any catastrophic event such as disease, civil disorder , poaching, or habitat loss would have a devastating impact on
8640-410: The females being smaller than the males. Two horns on the skull are made of keratin with the larger front horn typically 50 cm (20 in) long, exceptionally up to 140 cm (55 in). Sometimes, a third smaller horn may develop. The black rhino is much smaller than the white rhino , and has a pointed mouth, which it uses to grasp leaves and twigs when feeding. During the latter half of
8760-688: The females sometimes may drive away males until they are receptive. Male rhinoceroses taste the urine of female rhinoceroses and perform a flehmen response with the upper lip to determine their reproductive status. Adult males in the vicinty of oestrous females may become aggressive towards other males. These confronations can range from ritualized behaviour, to serious fighting that can result in significant injuries. In some species, male rhinoceroses are territorial, while in other species they are not, or are only territorial depending on local environmental conditions. Females will sometimes reject males they consider undesirable, which results in them fleeing or fighting
8880-576: The first that Mr. Blyth had seen of this species, ... Today, its range has further shrunk to a few pockets in southern Nepal, northern West Bengal, and the Brahmaputra Valley. Its habitat is surrounded by human-dominated landscapes, so that in many areas, it occurs in cultivated areas, pastures, and secondary forests. In the 1980s, Indian rhinos were frequently seen in the narrow plain area of Manas River and Royal Manas National Park in Bhutan. In 2022,
9000-708: The following year and established in 1973, initially encompassing an area of 544 km (210 sq mi). To ensure the survival of rhinos in case of epidemics, animals were translocated annually from Chitwan to Bardia National Park and Shuklaphanta National Park since 1986. The Indian rhinoceros population living in Chitwan and Parsa National Parks was estimated at 608 mature individuals in 2015. Indian rhinos have been reintroduced to areas where they had previously inhabited but became extinct. These efforts have produced mixed results, mainly due to lack of proper planning and management, sustained effort, and adequate security for
9120-411: The genus Rhinoceros diverging from the ancestors of other living rhinoceroses around 15 million years ago. The genus Rhinoceros has been found to be overall slightly more closely related to the Sumatran rhinoceros (as well as to the extinct woolly rhinoceros and the extinct Eurasian genus Stephanorhinus ) than to living African rhinoceroses, though there appears to have been gene flow between
9240-687: The genus Rhinoceros date to the Late Miocene, around 8–9 million years ago. The divergence between the Indian and Javan rhinoceros is estimated to have occurred around 4.3 million years ago. The earliest representatitves of the modern Indian rhinoceros appeared during the Early Pleistocene (2.6-0.8 million years ago). Fossils indicate that the Indian rhinoceros during the Pleistocene also inhabited areas considerably further east of its current distribution, including mainland Southeast Asia, South China and
9360-621: The genus is also closely related to the extinct genus Stephanorhinus . A cladogram showing the relationships of C. antiquitatis to other Late Pleistocene-recent rhinoceros species based on genomic data is given below. † Elasmotherium Black rhinoceros ( Diceros bicornis ) White rhinoceros ( Ceratotherium simum ) Indian rhinoceros ( Rhinoceros unicornis ) Javan rhinoceros ( Rhinoceros sondaicus ) Sumatran rhinoceros ( Dicerorhinus sumatrensis ) † Woolly rhinoceros ( Coelodonta antiquitatis ) † Merck's rhinoceros ( Stephanorhinus kirchbergensis ) Relationships of
9480-454: The growth of woolly rhinoceros from its early life stages based on several lower jaw fragments and limb bones. A one-month-old calf was about 1.2 metres (3.9 ft) in length and 72 centimetres (2.36 ft) tall at the shoulder. The most intensive growth in woolly rhinos occurred during the juvenile stage around 3 to 4 years of age with a shoulder height of 1.3 metres (4.3 ft). At 7 to 10 years of age, woolly rhinos became young adults with
9600-505: The head, and its height 1.5–1.7 m (4 ft 11 in – 5 ft 7 in). Adults are variously reported to weigh 900–1,400 kg (2,000–3,100 lb) or 1,360–2,000 kg (3,000–4,410 lb). Male horns can reach 26 cm (10 in) in length, while in females they are knobs or altogether absent. These animals prefer dense lowland rain forest, tall grass and reed beds that are plentiful with large floodplains and mud wallows. Though once widespread throughout Asia, by
9720-418: The heavy pressure on the horn and face when the rhinoceros grazed underneath the thick snow. Unique to this rhino, the nasal bones were fused to the premaxillae , which is not the case in older Coelodonta types or today's rhinoceroses. This ossification inspired the junior synonym specific name tichorhinus , from Greek τειχος (teikhos) "wall", ῥις (ῥιν-) (rhis (rhin-)) "nose". The woolly rhinoceros had
9840-487: The horn is taken. The Namibian government has supported the practice of rhino trophy hunting as a way to raise money for conservation. Hunting licenses for five Namibian Black rhinos are auctioned annually, with the money going to the government's Game Products Trust Fund. Some conservationists and members of the public oppose or question this practice. Rhinoceros horns develop from subcutaneous tissues, and are made of keratinous mineralized compartments. The horns root in
9960-497: The horn reaches a length of about 25 cm (9.8 in), but has been recorded up to 57.2 cm (22.5 in) in length and 3.051 kg (6.73 lb) in weight. Among terrestrial land mammals native to Asia, Indian rhinos are second in size only to the Asian elephant . They are also the second-largest living rhinoceros, behind only the white rhinoceros . Bulls have a head and body length of 368–380 cm (12.07–12.47 ft) with
10080-473: The introduced animals. In 1984, five Indian rhinos were relocated to Dudhwa National Park —four from the fields outside the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and one from Goalpara. This has born results and the population has increased to 21 rhinos by 2006. In early 1980s, Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam had more than 70 Indian rhinos which were all killed by poachers. In 2016, two Indian rhinos,
10200-439: The island of Java, Indonesia. Indian rhinos have a thick grey-brown skin with pinkish skin folds and one horn on their snout. Their upper legs and shoulders are covered in wart-like bumps. They have very little body hair, aside from eyelashes, ear fringes and tail brush. Bulls have huge neck folds. The skull is heavy with a basal length above 60 cm (24 in) and an occiput above 19 cm (7.5 in). The nasal horn
10320-413: The large nasal horn was often flattened in cross-section, and abrasion patterns on the horn indicate it's possible use in brushing away snow when grazing. Compared to other rhinoceroses, the woolly rhinoceros had a longer head and body, and shorter legs. Its shoulder was raised with a powerful hump, used to support the animal's massive front horn. The hump also contained a fat reserve to aid survival through
10440-456: The largest living rhinoceros species, the white rhinoceros ( Ceratotherium simum ). Both males and females had two horns which were made of keratin , with one long horn reaching forward and a smaller horn between the eyes. The front horn would have measured 1–1.35 metres (3.3–4.4 ft) long for individuals at 25 to 35 years of age, while the second horn would have measured up to 47.5 centimetres (1.56 ft) long. Unlike in modern rhinos,
10560-475: The last mitochondrial ancestor of Late Pleistocene woolly rhinoceroses lived around 570,000 years ago. An adult woolly rhinoceros typically measured 3.2 to 3.6 metres (10.5 to 11.8 ft) from head to tail, stood 1.45–1.6 metres (4.8–5.2 ft) tall at the shoulder, and weighed up to 1.5–2 metric tons (1.7–2.2 short tons) (with some sources placing the body mass of the species as high as 2.4–2.9 metric tons (5,300–6,400 lb) ) making it comparable in size to
10680-473: The living areas and led to the eradication of the rhino in Sumatra. Living rhinoceroses gregariousness varies between species. Adult males tend to be solitary, and this is also true of female Asian rhinoceroses, though the females of African species sometimes form groups, with these groups being more common in white than black rhinoceroses. Rhinoceroses have widely varing diets ranging from strict grazing (such as
10800-410: The male if cornered. During copulation, the male slides his neck up the back of the female, before using his neck as a lever to get his forelegs off the ground, before moving the front legs behind the shoulders of the female. Copulation can last several hours. Pregnancy lasts for over a year, around 460 days in the black rhinoceros and 504 days in the white rhinoceros. The female generally gives birth in
10920-513: The mammoth steppe. Its long, slanted head with a downward-facing posture, and tooth structure all helped it graze on vegetation. It had a wide upper lip like that of the white rhinoceros, which allowed it to easily pluck vegetation directly from the ground. A strain vector biomechanical investigation of the skull , mandible and teeth of a well-preserved last cold stage individual recovered from Whitemoor Haye , Staffordshire , revealed musculature and dental characteristics that support
11040-436: The mid-Eocene to early Oligocene. The Amynodontidae, also known as "aquatic rhinos", dispersed across North America and Eurasia , from the late Eocene to early Oligocene . The amynodontids were hippopotamus -like in their ecology and appearance, inhabiting rivers and lakes, and sharing many of the same adaptations to aquatic life as hippos. The Paraceratheriidae, also known as paraceratheres or indricotheres, originated in
11160-422: The mornings and evenings. They use their semi-prehensile lips to grasp grass stems, bend the stem down, bite off the top, and then eat the grass. They tackle very tall grasses or saplings by walking over the plant, with legs on both sides and using the weight of their bodies to push the end of the plant down to the level of the mouth. Mothers also use this technique to make food edible for their calves. They drink for
11280-499: The most numerous, which once ranged from central Tanzania south through Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique to northern and eastern South Africa; South-western ( Diceros bicornis occidentalis ) which are better adapted to the arid and semi-arid savannas of Namibia, southern Angola, western Botswana and western South Africa; East African ( Diceros bicornis michaeli ), primarily in Tanzania; and West African ( Diceros bicornis longipes ) which
11400-427: The oldest living to be 47. Habitat degradation caused by human activities and climate change as well as the resulting increase in the floods has caused many Indian rhino deaths and has limited their ranging areas which is shrinking. Serious declines in quality of habitat have occurred in some areas, due to severe invasion by alien plants into grasslands affecting some populations, and demonstrated reductions in
11520-411: The other being Rhinoceros bicornis , and stated that the Indian species had two horns, while the African species had only one. The Indian rhinoceros is a single species . Several specimens were described since the end of the 18th century under different scientific names , which are all considered synonyms of Rhinoceros unicornis today: The generic name rhinoceros is derived through Latin from
11640-503: The pinkish colour. The folds in the skin increase the surface area and help in regulating the body temperature. The thick skin does not protect against bloodsucking Tabanus flies, leeches and ticks . The largest individuals reportedly weigh up to 4,000 kg (8,820 lb). Indian rhinos once ranged across the entire northern part of the Indian subcontinent , along the Indus , Ganges and Brahmaputra River basins, from Pakistan to
11760-403: The population in Kaziranga National Park had decreased to around 12 individuals. In the early 1900s, the Indian rhinoceros was almost extinct. At present, poaching for the use of horn in traditional Chinese Medicine is one of the main threats that has led to decreases in several important populations. Poaching for the Indian rhino's horn became the single most important reason for the decline of
11880-674: The primary instigators in fights. Fights between dominant bulls are the most common cause of rhino mortality, and bulls are also very aggressive toward cows during courtship. Bulls chase cows over long distances and even attack them face-to-face. Indian rhinos use their horns for fighting, albeit less frequently than African rhinos, largely using the incisors of the lower jaw to inflict wounds. Captive bulls breed at five years of age, but wild bulls attain dominance much later when they are larger. In one five-year field study, only one Indian rhino estimated to be younger than 15 years mated successfully. Captive cows breed as young as four years of age, but in
12000-624: The relationships of recent and Late Pleistocene rhinoceros species (minus Stephanorhinus hemitoechus) based on whole nuclear genomes, after Liu et al., 2021: † Elasmotherium sibiricum White Rhinoceros ( Ceratotherium simum ) Black rhinoceros ( Diceros bicornis ) † Woolly rhinoceros ( Coelodonta antiquitatis ) † Merck's rhinoceros ( Stephanorhinus kirchbergensis ) Sumatran rhinoceros ( Dicerorhinus sumatrensis ) Javan rhinoceros ( Rhinoceros sondaicus ) Indian rhinoceros ( Rhinoceros unicornis ) † denotes extinct taxa Adult rhinoceroses have no real predators in
12120-401: The rhino's skin and around its feet. Tabanus flies, a type of horse-fly , are known to bite rhinos. The rhinos are also vulnerable to diseases spread by parasites such as leeches , ticks , and nematodes like Bivitellobilharzia nairi . Anthrax and the blood-disease sepsis are known to occur. In March 2017, a group of four tigers consisting of an adult male, tigress and two cubs killed
12240-544: The second half of the 20th century, zoos became adept at breeding Indian rhinoceros. By 1983, nearly 40 babies had been born in captivity. As of 2012, 33 Indian rhinos were born at Switzerland 's Zoo Basel alone, meaning that most captive animals are related to the Basel population. Due to the success of Zoo Basel's breeding program , the International Studbook for the species has been kept there since 1972. Since 1990,
12360-551: The south of Western Siberia (the area that is today Kazakhstan) date as recently as 39,000 years ago. The origin of the two living African rhinos can be traced to the late Miocene ( 6 mya ) species Ceratotherium neumayri . The lineages containing the living species diverged by the early Pliocene , when Diceros praecox , the likely ancestor of the black rhinoceros, appears in the fossil record. The black and white rhinoceros remain so closely related that they can still mate and successfully produce offspring. Cladogram showing
12480-592: The south. By the end of the 1960s, only 95 rhinos remained in the Chitwan Valley. The dramatic decline of the rhino population and the extent of poaching prompted the government to institute the Gaida Gasti – a rhino reconnaissance patrol of 130 armed men and a network of guard posts all over Chitwan. To prevent the extinction of rhinos, the Chitwan National Park was gazetted in December 1970, with borders delineated
12600-464: The species was described and were the basis for some mythical creatures. Native peoples of Siberia believed their horns were the claws of giant birds. A rhinoceros skull was found in Klagenfurt , Austria, in 1335, and was believed to be that of a dragon . In 1590, it was used as the basis for the head on a statue of a lindworm . Gotthilf Heinrich von Schubert maintained the belief that the horns were
12720-547: The time of the birth of her next calf. There is generally a gap of several years between females giving birth again after having her previous calf, though the gap can be as short as a year and a half. Rhinoceroses become sexually mature at around 5-8 years of age, generally around a year later in males than in females in black and Sumatran rhinoceroses, though male white rhinoceroses become socio-sexually mature at around 12 years of age, 4 years after females start giving birth. Rhinocerotoids diverged from other perissodactyls by
12840-701: The total Indian rhinoceros population was estimated to be 4,014 individuals, up from 2,577 in 2006. Among them, 3,262 are in India and the remaining 752 are in Nepal and Bhutan. There is no permanent rhino population in Bhutan, but small rhino populations are occasionally known to cross from the Manas National Park or Buxa Tiger Reserve in India. In India , there are around 2,885 individuals in Assam , including 2,613 in Kaziranga National Park , 125 in Orang National Park , 107 in Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and 40 in Manas National Park . West Bengal has
12960-418: The two African species of rhinoceros lack teeth at the front of their mouths; they rely instead on their lips to pluck food. Rhinoceroses are killed by poachers for their horns , which are bought and sold on the black market for high prices, leading to most living rhinoceros species being considered endangered. The contemporary market for rhino horn is overwhelmingly driven by China and Vietnam , where it
13080-526: The verge of extinction, confined to several parts of Indonesia and Malaysia by reproductive isolation. There were 320 D. sumatrensis in 1995, which, by 2011, had dwindled to 216 . It has been found through DNA comparison that the Sumatran rhinoceros is the most ancient extant rhinoceros and related to the extinct Eurasian woolly rhino species, Coelodonta . In 1994 Alan Rabinowitz publicly denounced governments, non-governmental organizations, and other institutions for lacking in their attempts to conserve
13200-487: The white rhinoceros), to largely browsing (such as the black rhinoceros) to a mixture between both (the Sumatran and Javan rhinoceros). As bulk feeders of low quality vegetation, rhinoceroses spend a majority of their time foraging. All living rhinoceroses have a polyandrous and polygnous mating system where both males and females seek to mate with multiple individuals of the opposite sex. Male rhinoceroses guard reproductive age females until they are in full estrous though
13320-516: The wild, other than humans. Young rhinos sometimes fall prey to big cats , crocodiles, African wild dogs , and hyenas . Although rhinos are large and aggressive and have a reputation for being resilient, they are very easily poached; they visit water holes daily and can be easily killed while they drink. As of December 2009, poaching increased globally while efforts to protect the rhino are considered increasingly ineffective. The most serious estimate, that only 3% of poachers are successfully countered,
13440-495: The wild, they usually start breeding only when six years old, which likely indicates they need to be large enough to avoid being killed by aggressive bulls. The ovarian cycle lasts 5.5 to 9 weeks on average. Their gestation period is around 15.7 months, and birth interval ranges from 34 to 51 months. An estimated 10% of calves will die before maturity. This is mainly attributed to predatory attacks from tigers ( Panthera tigris ). In captivity, four Indian rhinos lived over 40 years,
13560-972: The woolly rhinoceros based on morphology, excluding African rhinoceros species: Gaindatherium browni Lartetotherium sansaniense Nesorhinus hayasakai Nesorhinus philippinensis Rhinoceros sondaicus (Javan rhinoceros) Rhinoceros unicornis (Indian rhinoceros) Dicerorhinus gwebinensis Dicerorhinus fusuiensis Dicerorhinus sumatrensis (Sumatran rhinoceros) Dihoplus schleiermacheri "Dihoplus" pikermiensis Coelodonta thibetana Coelodonta nihowanensis Coelodonta tologoijensis Coelodonta antiquitatis (woolly rhinoceros) Pliorhinus megarhinus Pliorhinus miguelcrusafonti Stephanorhinus jeanvireti Stephanorhinus etruscus Stephanorhinus hundsheimensis Stephanorhinus hemitoechus (Narrow-nosed or steppe rhinoceros) Stephanorhinus kirchbergensis (Merck's or forest rhinoceros) The ancestors of Coelodonta are suggested to have diverged from those of
13680-551: The woolly rhinoceros contracted towards Siberia beginning around 17,000 years ago, with the youngest known records being around 14,000 years old in northeast Siberia, coinciding with the Bølling–Allerød warming , which likely disrupted its habitat, with environmental DNA records possibly extending the range of the species around 9,800 years ago. Its closest living relative is the Sumatran rhinoceros ( Dicerorhinus sumatrensis ). Woolly rhinoceros remains have been known long before
13800-430: The woolly rhinoceros had a seasonal diet; different areas of horn growth suggest that it mainly grazed in summer, while it browsed for shrubs and branches in the winter. Dental mesowear measurements further show that the woolly rhinoceros's diet was heavily composed on abrasive grasses. It is estimated that woolly rhinoceroses could reach around 40 years of age, like their modern relatives. In 2014, Shpansky analysed
13920-408: The woolly rhinoceros had thickened enamel and an open internal cavity. Like other rhinos, adults did not have incisors . It had 3 premolars and 3 molars in both jaws. The molars were high-crowned and had a thick coat of cementum . The nasal septum of the woolly rhinoceros was ossified , unlike modern rhinos. This was most common in adult males. This adaptation probably evolved as a result of
14040-458: Was covered with long, thick hair that allowed it to survive in the extremely cold, harsh mammoth steppe . It had a massive hump reaching from its shoulder and fed mainly on herbaceous plants that grew in the steppe. Mummified carcasses preserved in permafrost and many bone remains of woolly rhinoceroses have been found. Images of woolly rhinoceroses are found among cave paintings in Europe and Asia. The range of
14160-516: Was declared extinct in November 2011. The native Tswanan name keitloa describes a South African variation of the black rhino in which the posterior horn is equal to or longer than the anterior horn. An adult black rhinoceros stands 1.50–1.75 m (59–69 in) high at the shoulder and is 3.5–3.9 m (11–13 ft) in length. An adult weighs from 850 to 1,600 kg (1,870 to 3,530 lb), exceptionally to 1,800 kg (4,000 lb), with
14280-600: Was estimated at 2,048 individuals in 2009. By 2009, the population in Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary had increased to 84 individuals in an area of 38.80 km (14.98 sq mi). In 2015, Nepal had 645 Indian rhinos living in Parsa National Park , Chitwan National Park , Bardia National Park , Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve and respective buffer zones in the Terai Arc Landscape as recorded in
14400-710: Was found with trauma indicating an attack from a feline, but the animal survived to adulthood. Remains of woolly rhinoceros are frequently found in cave hyena dens with gnaw marks indicating that their remains were consumed by them, which to a large degree likely reflects scavenging of the carcasses of already dead rhinoceroses. Woolly rhinos may have used their horns for combat, probably including intraspecific combat as recorded in cave paintings, as well as for moving snow to uncover vegetation during winter. They may have also been used to attract mates. Bull woolly rhinos were probably territorial like their modern counterparts, defending themselves from competitors, particularly during
#417582