Prehistoric rhinoceroses, some larger than
elephants, some the size of wolves, were
found on every continent except South
America and Australia. Today, there are
five species of rhino: two African species
and three Asian. The African species are
the white, or square-lipped, and the black
rhinos. Both species have two horns. Of the
Asian species, the Indian and the Javan
each have a single horn, while the Sumatran
rhino has two.

The word rhinoceros means “horn-nosed,”
and rhinos use their horns for several
purposes. They use them to shovel the
ground for mineral salt; to fight over
territory or a female, or during courtship;
and to defend themselves and their young
against lions, tigers, and hyenas.

Like buffalos and elephants, rhinos are very
near-sighted. They can only see clearly up to
about 30 feet away. The lateral placement of
their eyes causes them to turn their heads
from side to side to see straight ahead.

Rhinos’ extremely acute senses of hearing
and smell compensate for their poor
eyesight. Rhinos are able to pinpoint the
origin of a sound and charge at it. They use
their highly developed sense of smell to
identify other rhinos, keep track of their
young and identify predators.

Rhinos are herbivores, meaning they

eat only plants. But each rhino species
prefers something different. White rhinos
eat primarily grasses, for which their
square-shaped lips are ideally suited. Other
rhinos prefer to browse on bushes or trees.
They have a pointed prehensile upper lip—
that is, their lip can actually grasp branches
to help pull and break them. Javan and
Sumatran rhinos prefer leaves in the
upper-most parts of trees. They knock
down trees to reach the upper branches,
leaving the lower limbs uneaten.

Male and female rhinos both establish
territories. Males, or bulls, mark and

defend their territories viciously, Recent
observations indicate females may fight over
their territories as well. Bulls competing for
females try to intimidate each other by

Fish & Wildlife Service

Rhinoceros

charging one another. Males and females
often fight during courtship, too. Some of
the fighting may turn violent and bloody
from wounds inflicted with the horns. Once
mating is over, males and females go their
separate ways again.

Fourteen to eighteen months later, a calf is
born. Calves are on their feet within hours
of birth. And, although they nurse for a
year, they begin eating vegetation in about
a week.

Calves remain close to their mother until
they are about 3 years old. At this time,
another calf may have been born and the
mother chases off her older offspring.

In captivity, rhinos may live for up to 40
years, but biologists estimate they live about
30 to 35 years in the wild. For the most part,
rhinos are solitary animals. But white rhinos
are known to form groups of as many as 18
animals and Indian rhinos sometimes form
small groups, too.

Some people might be surprised when they
see a rhinoceros because it might be any
color from gray to red. The coloring comes

“Tick birds,” such as
egrets, oxpeckers,
and mynas, which
Seed on ticks and
other insects and
parasites plaguing
the rhino’s skin,
serve as an early
warning system,
alerting the rhino to
danger when they
are startled.

from the mud rhinos wallow in each day.
Mud baths are essential for the good health
of all rhinos because they provide relief
from biting insects, keep their skin in good
condition and help keep them cool.

The only land animals larger than rhinos
are elephants. The future of these giants is
guarded as their habitat continues to be
lost to agriculture and development, and a
market for medicines made of rhino horn
encourages poaching, or illegal killing.

Tn India, rhino grazing grounds have

been converted to rice paddies to feed an
ever-growing population. There rhinos are
considered pests as they raid rice paddies
and eat crops. In Java, rhinos have suffered
from lumber demands that have led to
deforestation of their habitat.

Poaching poses an even greater threat

to rhino survival. For centuries, Asians
have believed that powdered rhino horn
could cure everything from fevers and
nose bleeds to measles, diphtheria, and
food poisoning. Many also believe



powdered rhino horn helps retain the
vigor of youth and contributes to sexual
stamina. And in the Middle East daggers
made with rhino horn handles are a
status symbol.

Some wildlife agencies in Africa have
implemented programs to saw off the
horns of rhinos in an attempt to eliminate
the poachers’ incentive to kill them.
Unfortunately, since 1988, at least 94
de-horned rhinos have been killed by
poachers.

Rhinos are protected under the Convention
on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES),
an agreement among more than 120 nations

to eliminate illegal trade in animals and
plants and their parts and associated
products. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
is the federal agency responsible for the
US. government’s compliance with the
CITES treaty.

Currently, some countries are threatening
to impose trade sanctions against Yemen,
South Korea, China and Taiwan for allegedly
violating the CITES agreement. The United
States imposed wildlife trade sanctions on
Taiwan in 1994 for that country’s illegal
trade in rhino and tiger parts and
products—the first time the U.S.
government has taken such action on
another country to penalize illegal trade

in critically endangered wildlife.

In addition, all five rhinoceros species
are listed as endangered species under
the Endangered Species Act, prohibiting
rhino parts and products from being
imported into the United States except
under certain conditions.

Endangered means a species is considered
extinct in all or a portion of its range.

The less dire threatened listing means a
species is likely to beeome endangered in
the foreseeable future.

The US. Fish & Wildlife Service also supports
international rhino conservation efforts
through funding and technical assistance that.
includes resource management, research, and
educational programs,

Black rhinoceros
Diceros bicornis

The black rhino lives in Africa, in a variety
of habitats from the dense rainforests to the
dry scrublands. Once numerous in eastern
and southern Africa, it is now only found in
national parks and game reserves. The
black rhino stands more than 54 feet tall
and weighs up to 4,000 pounds.

Wallowing in mud is an important activity
for rhinos, since it gives them relief from
biting insects, keeps their skin in good
condition and keeps them cool during
times of intense heat.

Indian rhinoceros
Rhinoceros unicornis

The Indian rhino weighs the same as the
black rhino—about 4,000 pounds—but
stands about 6 feet tall. This rhino was
once found throughout most of India,
particularly in lush river valleys. Today,

it survives only on eight reserves in India
and Nepal. Living in swampy areas, it eats
marsh grasses and aquatic plants.

Rhinos use their horns for several purposes:
to shovel the ground for mineral salt, fight
over territory or females, and defend
themselves or their young from predators.

White or square-lipped rhinoceros
Ceratotherium simum

There are two subspecies of the white
rhino—the southern white rhino, which is
nearly extinct, and the northern white
rhino, which is the most common. of all
rhinos. The white rhino is actually gray.

Its name probably stems from the
mistranslation of the Dutch word for “wide”
describing its upper lip. It lives on the open
plains of Africa. The largest of the rhinos,

u stands more than 6 feet tall and weighs
6,000 to 8,000 pounds. It also has the longest
horn, averaging 18 inches to 4 feet.

Rhinos are herbivores, meaning they eat
only plants. The white rhino eats primarily
grasses, for which its syuare-shaped lip is
ideally suited.

Javan rhinoceros
Rhinoceros sondaicus

The Javan rhino lives in dense forests,
feeding at forest edges and mountain
clearings on bamboo, fruit, and other plants.
There are fewer than 100 Javan rhinos on a
game reserve in western Java, and many
believe they are extinct in the wild. Javan
rhinos weigh up to 3,000 pounds and
measure 44% to 54 feet tall.

Sumatran rhinoceros
Dicerorhinus sumatrensis

The Sumatran rhino is the only Asian
rhino species with two horns and the only
rhino with hair on its body. The front horn
averages 15 to 20 inches and the second may
be hardly noticeable. It stands about 44% feet
tall and weighs 750 to 2,000 pounds. There
are a few Sumatran rhinos left in Burma,
Malaysia, Thailand and Sumatra. They live
in dense forests and feed on plants at the
forest edges and in mountain clearings.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
http:/Avww.fws.gov
June 1998.