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Indian rhinoceros Facts

Indian rhinoceros Facts
Indian rhinoceros (great one-horned rhinoceros) is the second largest member (white rhino is the largest) of a rhino family. It can be found in the northern parts of India and Nepal. Indian rhinoceros inhabits floodplain grasslands, swamps and forests. Habitat loss due to agricultural development and poaching (because of the horn that is used in traditional Asian medicine) brought Indian rhinoceros to the brink of extinction at the beginning of the 20th century. Thanks to the great conservation efforts, population of Indian rhinoceros is much bigger and more stable today. According to the last count (in 2015), there are 3555 animals left in the wild. Indian rhinoceros is classified as vulnerable.
Interesting Indian rhinoceros Facts:
Indian rhinoceros can reach 10.2 to 12.5 feet in length and 3.500 to 4.900 pounds of weight.
Indian rhinoceros has brownish-grey skin with folds that create appearance of an armor. Shoulders and legs are covered with wart-like bumps.
Indian rhinoceros has heavy skull, prehensile upper lip, flexible ears, bulky body and short tail. Males have large and sharp, tusk-like incisors that are used for fight with other males during the mating season.
Indian rhinoceros has only one horn that can reach 9.8 to 22.5 inches in length. Horn is made of keratin, just like human hair and nails.
Indian rhinoceros has poor eyesight, but excellent sense of hearing and smell. It detects partners for mating by following the strong scent typical for this species.
Despite its bulky body, Indian rhinoceros is very fast animal (maximum speed 34 miles per hour) that can quickly change direction of movement.
Indian rhinoceros is active early in the morning and late in the afternoon.
Indian rhinoceros is grazer. Its diet is mostly based on the grass. Fruit, leaves, aquatic plants and various crops are occasionally on the menu.
Indian rhinoceros likes to spend time in areas that provide enough water and mud which are used for cooling during the hottest part of a day. Indian rhinoceros is very good swimmer.
Egrets and mynas (birds that eat ticks) feed on parasites that hide in the folds of skin of Indian rhinoceros.
Natural enemies of Indian rhinoceros are humans and tigers that hunt young and weak animals.
Indian rhinoceros is solitary creature. Males occupy territories of 0.77 to 3.09 square miles and use feces, urine and glandular secretion to mark them. They become very aggressive and often fight to death during the mating season.
Pregnancy lasts 15 to 16 months and ends with one baby (calf). Young Indian rhinoceros stays with its mother usually until the age of 2 years (until the arrival of the next calf).
Females reach sexual maturity at the age of 4 to 6 years, males at the age of 9 years.
Indian rhinoceros can survive around 40 years in the wild.


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