Indian Rhinoceros

== Description ==
The Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) is the biggest of the three rhinos in Asia, and, along with the African white rhino, is the biggest of all rhino species. Its single black horn identifies it, along with its gray-brown hide and skin folds, giving it an armor-plated look. This species is a conservation success, as its numbers have increased significantly since 1975. At that time there were just 600 rhinos remaining in the wild. Following decades of successful efforts, numbers increased to 3,500 in Nepal and India by mid-2015. Now it is the most numerous of the three rhino species in Asia.
== Appearance ==
Indian rhinos have 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 nasal horn 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 the 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 in newborn calves. The horn is pure keratin, like human fingernails, and starts to show after about six years. In most adults, the horn reaches a length of about 25 cm (9.8 in), but has been recorded up to 36 cm (14 in) in length and 3.051 kg (6.73 lb) in weight.
== Distribution ==
Found throughout the subcontinent of northern India in the past, the Indian rhinoceros now lives only in dispersed populations in Nepal and India. It prefers to live on floodplain grasslands but is sometimes found in adjacent forests and swamps. Its habitat is surrounded by human-dominated landscapes so in many areas, this species occurs in cultivated areas, and pastures.
== Lifestyle ==
The Indian rhino is generally solitary, except when females are with their young. Loosely connected groups of a few individuals occur, especially in foraging areas or wallowing grounds. They feed mostly in the cool of the early morning, during the late afternoon, or at night. During the day, they spend a lot of time in the water or wallowing in the mud in order to keep cool. Males have loosely defined territories that they do not defend well, and often such territories overlap. Occasionally there are aggressive interactions between rhinos, with charges and horn clashes. Such fighting between males often causes death when the population numbers are high. Rhinos are known to make about 10 sounds, including snorts, honks, and roars. Scent deposition is common, with large communal dung heaps often being formed.
== Diet ==
Indian rhinos are herbivores (graminivores, folivores, frugivores, lignivores). They eat grass, leaves, fruit, branches, aquatic plants, as well as cultivated crops. They prefer tall reedy grasses to short species. They drink daily and are fond of mineral licks.
== Reproduction ==
Little information is known about the mating system of Indian rhinos. Only dominant bulls will mate with females, and it is thought that scent is a means of assessing them. This may suggest that Indian rhinos exhibit a polygynous mating system. Breeding takes place throughout the year. After a gestation of 480 days, a single young is born, with a weight of 70 kg. Weaning usually takes place after one year, although it can last for 18 months. The offspring stays with its mother until her next calf is born, usually in 3 years’ time. One week before a subsequent birth, the mother will chase the previously born calf away. Young females become reproductively mature and start to breed between 5 and 6 years of age, while males reach maturity when they are 7-9 years old.
== Population ==
=== Population threats ===
In the past, hunting was largely responsible for the Indian rhino decline. During the 20th century, both Europeans and Asians hunted rhinos for sport. They were also killed in tea plantations as agricultural pests. Poaching remains their biggest threat, driven by increased demand for rhino horns, especially among the growing middle class of Asia. Indian rhinos also suffer from the loss of their habitat. Today, the demand for land due to the increasing human population threatens this species. Many protected areas for rhinos have reached the limit of numbers they can support, which causes human-rhino conflict because rhinos leave the protected areas to seek food in the surrounding villages.
=== Population number ===
According to the WWF Panda resource, the total population size of the Indian rhino today is around 3,500 individuals. According to the World Wildlife (WWF) resource, the total population size of the Indian rhino is over 3,000 individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List. However, its numbers today are increasing.
== Fun Facts ==
Indian rhinos love swimming and wading more than most of the other rhino species.
These animals are quite shy and generally will run away from danger in preference to attacking, although females will defend their calves.
Rhinos often bathe and wallow during the day’s heat. This is important for both keeping cool and avoiding flies.
An adult rhino’s skin may be as thick as 5 cm (2 inches).
The word “rhinoceros” means “horn nose” and is from the Ancient Greek “ῥῑνόκερως”.
There used to be “woolly” rhinos, the oldest recorded fossil being in Tibet, dated around 3.6 million years ago. These animals closely resembled white rhinos in shape and size, but they were hairy and well-suited to cold climates. These ancient rhinos often appeared in cave drawings. It is thought they became extinct about 10,000 years ago, perhaps as a result of being hunted by humans, or, more likely, due to the drastic climate changes of that time: the "Big Freeze" - The Younger Dryas stadial, which began about 10,850 BC and lasted about a thousand years.
== Gallery ==
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== Main References ==
https://animalia.bio/indian-rhinoceros
Category:Animals
Category:Animalia
Category:Chordata
Category:Vertebrata
Category:Vertebrates
Category:Mammals
Category:Mammalia
Category:Perissodactyla
Category:Rhinocerotidae
Category:Rhinoceros
Category:Nocturnal Animals
Category:Herbivores
Category:Graminivores
Category:Folivores
Category:Frugivores
Category:Lignivores
Category:Terrestrial Animals
Category:Grazers
Category:Viviparous Animals
Category:Congregatory Animals
Category:Territorial Animals
Category:Precocial Animals
Category:Polygynous Animals
Category:Generally Solitary Animals
Category:Non-Migrational Animals
Category:Asian Animals
Category:South Asian Animals
Category:Animals of India
Category:Animals of Nepal
Category:Vulnerable Animals