|
Horse, zebra and tapir are the closest relatives of rhino.
|
|
Rhino can reach 6 feet in height, 11 feet in length and weigh up to 6000 pounds. Despite its huge body size, it has very small brain.
|
|
Two types of rhinos live in Africa: white and black. White rhino is not white at all. It has brownish skin and it has wider mouth compared to black rhino.
|
|
Javan rhinoceros is the rarest of all species. Only 50 animals are left in the wild. This species looks like its body is covered with heavy plates. These plates are actually folds of the skin.
|
|
Although their skin is thick, it is soft and can suffer sunburn. Rhinos cover themselves with mud to create protective layer on the skin. Mud protects their skin from insects also.
|
|
Rhinos are herbivorous animals (eat only plants). They eat grass, shrubs, leaves and shoots.
|
|
Rhinoa horns are made of the same substance (called keratin) that makes our nails.
|
|
Different species have different number of horns: Indian and Javan rhinoceros have one horn, while White, Black and Sumatran rhinos have two horns.
|
|
Longest measured horn was 4 feet and 9 inches long.
|
|
Small birds called oxpeckers remove ticks and other insects from rhino's skin.
|
|
Rhino is a fast running animal. It can run up to 40 miles per hour.
|
|
Rhinos have poor eyesight, but they have excellent sense of smell and hearing.
|
|
Group of rhinos is called a crash. Black rhinos fight often against each other. 50% of males and 30% of females die as a result of the fight.
|
|
Pregnancy lasts between 14 and 18 months and mother takes a good care of her baby. Young rhino will leave its mother 2-4 years after it is born.
|
|
Rhinos live 40-45 years in the wild.
|
Rhinoceros (or shortly - rhino) is the second largest land mammal (elephant is the largest). These animals can be found in Africa and Asia. There are 5 species of rhinos and all of them are endangered because of the excessive hunting. Poachers are killing rhinos because of their horns.