The black rhinoceros belongs to equid mammals, belongs to the Rhinoceros family and is one of two species of animals that live in Africa. The species to which this rhinoceros belongs is listed in the Red Book and its condition is critical, and certain subspecies are classified as extinct species. If you translate the name of this animal from Latin, it will sound like “two-horned”.

Appearance of a western black rhinoceros

The black rhinoceros is not actually black. Its thick skin is colored grey colour, but since the animal constantly rocks in the ground, it gives it a completely different color. Color can be:

• brown;
• brick red;
• dark gray;
• white;
• black.

The color of the skin depends on the type of soil in the area where the animal lives. Rhinoceroses are black in color and live in areas with solidified lava.

It is very easy to distinguish a black rhinoceros from a white African one. because they have differences in appearance and behavior. The black rhinoceros has a short and thick neck, which is much wider than its short head. The neck begins behind the withers and ends under a wide dewlap, which is separated from the head and shoulders by two large folds. The frontal part resembles a saddle, as it is concave inside the muzzle.

The upper lip of these animals is slightly pointed and looks like a proboscis; with this proboscis the rhinoceros grabs food. The upper lip hangs over the lower lip, which has a rounded, blunt shape. The lips become covered with folds that can stretch and diverge. Black rhinos have very small eyes with many wrinkles around them. The pupils of these animals are oblong. They have wide and short ears, at the base of which there are several folds. Short and thick hair grows along the edges of the ears.

Horns grow directly from the skin and are in no way connected to the skeleton.. They are a protein substance; they contain keratin, which is found in human hair and nails, in porcupine quills and armadillo shells. The main one is the front horn, which is also the longest, its length can reach 60 centimeters. And the longest horn was that of a rhinoceros that lived in Kenya National Park. The length of the horn was 1.3 meters.

The second horn of the animal is half the size of the first. The horns of the black rhinoceros are directed forward and upward, and not vertically, this is another difference from its white relative. The end of the main horn is slightly bent back. At first, the horn is shaped like a diamond, with rounded corners. Sometimes animals of this species have not two, but 3-5 horns. If a young animal damages its horn, it can recover, but in adult animals the horns do not recover.

The black rhinoceros is more of an animal. Its body length can reach three meters, and the height is 1.5 meters. Most animals weigh two tons. But there are rhinoceroses that weigh even more. Animals of this species have a short tail that hangs down. Their limbs are slender and neat, they have properly developed soles and hooves, which have three toes. They also have two folds that are located between the front and hind legs. The rest of the animal's skin is smooth and smooth.

Lifestyle

Basically, black equids live in areas with dry landscapes, and they do not leave these areas even during periods of very severe droughts. These mammals are strongly attached to the territory where they settle., and, as a rule, do not leave her throughout her life. But there are rhinoceroses that roam, looking for water and food. Black rhinoceroses are solitary animals, females and males live separately. Cubs for a long time live with a female, especially female offspring. When black rhinos go out for a walk, the female follows her offspring, while for white rhinos it’s the other way around. Sometimes you can find small clans, which include no more than twelve individuals. Females that do not have cubs form groups.

These animals eat plants- all sorts of young shoots, legumes, branches and thorns. Eating such food, they do not notice its hardness, sharp thorns and their very caustic juice. Their favorite “dish” is acacia. Animals get food with the help of their upper lip, which is movable in its structure.

These odd-toed ungulates have very poor eyesight, they can hardly see a tree or a person that is fifty meters away from them, for this reason, when meeting a rhinoceros, you need to freeze and not make any movements. But their hearing is good and their sense of smell is very well developed, thanks to this the animals are well oriented in the area. Despite his heavy weight, They can run very fast, reaching speeds of up to 48 kilometers per hour. They do not know how to overcome obstacles and swim. These wonderful animals are very sociable. You can often hear them snort, but when they are in pain or scared they make loud sounds that sound like a whistle.

Despite their sociability, the animals are very aggressive and can attack any object that moves. These horned animals are not afraid of other inhabitants of the shroud and even let them get close to them, but animals that get in the way of a rhinoceros can suffer greatly, since an angry rhinoceros is quite dangerous. Competition may sometimes arise between males for a female or for territory. But more often females and males fight. And, for example, they live in peace with antelopes, zebras and buffalos. When animals go to a watering hole and the rhinoceros does not want to give way to the elephant, a fight ensues and the elephant often wins. The black rhino's main rival is the elephant..

The avid enemies of equids are lions, Nile crocodiles and hyenas. But attacks on adult animals are extremely rare. This usually happens when the rhinoceros is lying in the mud, then it becomes an easy prey. Mostly enemies attack cubs. People are also enemies of these animals, as they often hunt them to get trophies. Average duration The life of rhinoceroses is about forty years.

Reproduction

Rhino reproduction does not depend on the season. Females begin to mate and give birth to offspring when they reach seven years of age, but they reach sexual maturity at four years of age. Males are ready to reproduce at a young age, but this happens at 10-12 years of age. Rhinoceroses do not live in pairs and only come together to breed. The female's pregnancy lasts fifteen months.. Basically, only one cub is born, which very quickly gets to its feet. The female feeds her offspring with milk. This may last up to two years. A female can produce offspring no more than once every four years.

Subspecies

There are four subspecies:

1. South-central subspecies. Lives in South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. This subspecies is the most numerous.
2. Southwestern subspecies. It can be found in South Africa and Namibia. Rhinoceroses of this species tend to live in arid and semi-arid areas. The number of the species is critical.
3. East African subspecies. Individuals of this species live in Tanzania and Kenya. This subspecies is on the verge of extinction.
4. West African subspecies. Since 2011, this subspecies is considered extinct, and before that it lived in Cameroon.

On this moment 98% of these animals live in South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Kenya and Namibia. Most of the animals live in national parks, where their habitat never changes.

A rhinoceros is an animal of the class mammals, subclass animals, infraclass placentals, superorder Laurasiotherium, order odd-toed ungulates, family rhinoceros (lat. Rhinocerotidae).

The Latin name of the animal has Greek roots, the word Rhino translates as “nose”, and ceros means “horn”. And this is a very apt name, because all five extant species of rhinoceros have at least one horn, growing from the mammal's nasal bone.

Rhinoceros: description and photo. What does the animal look like?

The rhinoceros is the largest land animal. Modern rhinoceroses reach a length of 2–5 meters, a shoulder height of 1–3 m and weigh from 1 to 3.6 tons. The color of their skin, as it seems at first glance, is reflected in the names of the species: white, black, and everything is clear here. But it was not there. In fact, the natural skin color of white and black rhinoceroses is approximately the same - it is gray-brown. And they are named so because they like to wallow in soils of different colors, which paint the surface of the rhinoceros’s body in different shades.

By the way, the name “white” was generally assigned to the white rhinoceros by mistake. Someone mistook the Boer word "wijde", meaning "wide", for English word“white” (white) – “white”. Africans named the animal this way because of its massive square muzzle.

Rhinoceroses have a long, narrow head with a steeply sloping forehead. A concavity resembling a saddle forms between the forehead and nasal bones. The animals' disproportionately small eyes have oval brown or black pupils, and short, fluffy eyelashes grow on the upper eyelid.

Rhinos have a well-developed sense of smell: it is on this that animals rely more than on other senses. The volume of their nasal cavity exceeds the volume of the brain. Rhinos also have well-developed hearing: their tube-like ears constantly rotate, picking up even faint sounds. But giants have poor eyesight. Rhinos only see moving objects from a distance of no more than 30 meters. The location of the eyes on the sides of the head prevents them from seeing objects well: they first see an object with one eye, and then with the other.

The upper lip of Indian and black rhinoceroses is very mobile. It hangs down a little and covers the lower lip. Other species have straight, awkward lips.

The jaws of these animals are always missing some teeth. In Asian species, incisors are present in the dental system throughout life; African rhinoceroses do not have incisors in both jaws. Rhinos have no fangs, but each jaw grows 7 molars, which wear out greatly with age. The lower jaw of Indian and black rhinoceroses is also decorated with pointed and elongated incisors.

Main distinguishing feature rhinoceroses - the presence of horns growing from the nasal or frontal bone. More often these are one or two unpaired outgrowths that are dark gray or black in color. Rhinoceros horns are not made of bone tissue, like in bulls, or, but from the protein keratin. This substance consists of needles, human hair and nails, bird feathers, and armadillo shells. In composition, the outgrowths of rhinoceroses are closer to the horny part of their hooves. They develop from the epidermis of the skin. In young animals, when wounded, the horn is restored, but in adult mammals it no longer grows back. The functions of horns have not yet been sufficiently studied, but scientists have found that females whose horns are removed cease to be interested in their offspring. It is believed that their main purpose is to push trees and grasses apart in thickets. Changes favor this version appearance horns in adults. They become polished, and their front surface is somewhat flattened.

The Javan and Indian rhinos grow 1 horn with a length of 20 to 60 cm. The white and Sumatran rhinos have 2 horns each, and the black rhinoceros has 2 to 5 horns.

Indian rhinoceros horn (left) and white rhinoceros horns (right). Left photo credit: Ltshears, CC BY-SA 3.0; photo on right: Revital Salomon, CC BY-SA 3.0

The white rhinoceros has the longest horn; it grows up to 158 cm in length.

Rhinoceroses are heavy, thick-skinned mammals with three-toed, short, massive limbs. At the end of each finger they have a small, wide claw.

The animal's footprints are easy to recognize: they look like a clover leaf, since the rhinoceros rests on the surface of the soil with all its toes.

The most “woolly” modern rhinoceros is the Sumatran, it is covered with bristly brown hairs, the densest in young individuals.

The skin of the Indian rhinoceros is gathered into voluminous folds, which makes this animal look like a knight in armor. Even its tail hides in a special recess in the shell.

Where does the rhinoceros live?

In our time, from the once large family, only 5 species of rhinoceroses have survived, belonging to 4 genera; all of them have become rare and are protected by people from people. Below are data from the International Union for Conservation of Nature on the number of these animals (data verified on January 5, 2018).

Three species of rhinoceroses live in the South East Asia:

• The most numerous of them, Indian rhinoceros(lat. Rhinoceros unicornis), lives in India and Nepal, inhabiting floodplain meadows. The species is vulnerable; the number of adult individuals in May 2007 was 2575 units. 378 of them live in Nepal and approximately 2,200 in India. The rhinoceros is listed in the International Red Book.
• The situation is worse with Sumatran rhinoceroses(lat. Dicerorhinus sumatrensis), the number of which does not exceed 275 adult individuals. They are found on the island of Sumatra (in Indonesia) and in Malaysia, settling in swampy savannas and mountain rain forests. Possibly, the habitat of several individuals includes the north of Myanmar, the state of Sarawak in Malaysia, and the island of Kalimantan (Borneo) in Indonesia. The species is endangered and is listed in the International Red Book.
• Javan rhinoceros(lat. Rhinoceros sondaicus) found itself in a particularly deplorable state: the mammal can only be found on the island of Java in reserves specially created for its conservation. The Javanese lives in flat glades that are constantly wet tropical forests, in thickets of bushes and grass. The animals are on the verge of extinction, and their number does not exceed 50 individuals. The species is listed in the International Red Book.

Two species of rhinoceroses live in Africa:

• White rhinoceros(lat. Ceratotherium simum) lives in the Republic of South Africa, was introduced to Zambia, and also reintroduced to Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Uganda, Zimbabwe. Inhabits dry savannas. Presumably in the Congo South Sudan and Sudan, mammals became extinct. The species is close to vulnerable and is listed in the International Red Book, but thanks to protection its numbers are gradually growing, although back in 1892 the white rhinoceros was considered extinct. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the number of white rhinos as of December 31, 2010 was approximately 20,170.
• (lat. Diceros bicornis) is found in countries such as Mozambique, Tanzania, Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Kenya, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Also, a certain number of individuals were reintroduced into the territories of Botswana, the Republic of Malawi, Swaziland and Zambia. The animal prefers arid places: sparse forests, acacia groves, steppes, shrub savannas, and the Namib Desert. It can also be found in mountainous areas up to 2700 meters above sea level. Overall, the species is on the verge of extinction. According to the International Red Book, by the end of 2010 there were about 4,880 individuals of this species in nature.

There are slightly more white and black rhinoceroses surviving than their Asian counterparts, but the white rhinoceros has already been declared a completely extinct species several times.

Lifestyle of rhinoceroses in the wild

These mammals often live alone, without forming herds. Only white rhinoceroses can gather in small groups, and females with cubs of all species exist together for some time. Females and males of rhinoceroses are together only during mating. Despite such a love of solitude, they have friends in nature. These are voloklui, or buffalo starlings (lat. Buphagus), birds small size, constantly accompanying not only rhinoceroses, but also elephants, buffalos, and wildebeest. Birds peck insects from the backs of mammals, and also scream to warn them of approaching danger. From the Swahili language, the name of these birds, askari wa kifaru, is translated as “protector of rhinoceroses.” They also like to eat ticks from the skin of rhinoceroses and wait for the animals in their mud baths.

Rhinoceroses strictly guard their territory. The pasture area and the reservoir on it are for the “personal use” of one individual. Over the years, animals have trodden their paths on the territory and set up places for taking mud baths. And African rhinoceroses also organize separate latrines. Behind long time They form impressive piles of manure, which serve as an aromatic landmark and prevent them from losing their territory. Rhinos mark their grounds not only with dung: old males mark areas where they often graze with odorous marks, spraying urine on the grass and bushes.

Black rhinoceroses are more often active early in the morning, as well as at dusk and at night: at this time of day they try to get enough, and it is very difficult for such giants to do this. During the day, the rhinoceros sleeps in the shade, lying on its stomach or side, or spends time lying in the mud. These bumpkins sleep very soundly, during which they forget about any danger. At this time, you can easily sneak up on them and even grab them by the tail. Other rhino species are active both during the day and at night.

Rhinoceroses are cautious animals: they try to stay away from people, but if they feel threatened, they actively defend themselves, attacking first. Rhinos run with maximum speed up to 40-48 km/h, but not for long. Black rhinoceroses are more hot-tempered, they attack quickly, and it is impossible to stop such a colossus. Their white counterparts are more peaceful, and human-fed cubs become completely tame and are happy to communicate with people at any opportunity. Mature females even allow themselves to be milked.

Rhinoceroses are quite noisy animals: they snort, sniffle, purr, squeal, and moo. Grunting and even neighing can be heard when animals graze peacefully. Disturbed mammals make sounds similar to loud snoring. Females grunt, calling the cubs to them, who squeal, having lost sight of their mother. Wounded and captured rhinoceroses roar loudly. And during the rut (breeding period), a whistle is heard from the females.

Most of these mammals cannot swim at all, and rivers become insurmountable obstacles for them. Indian and Sumatran rhinoceroses swim well across bodies of water.

How long does a rhinoceros live?

Rhinos live quite a long time. In zoos, their life expectancy often reaches 50 years. Black rhinoceros wildlife lives 35-40 years, white - 45 years, Sumatran - 32 years, and Indian and Javanese - no more than 70 years.

What does a rhinoceros eat?

Rhinos are strict vegetarians, eating up to 72 kg of plant food per day. The main food of the white rhinoceros is grass. With its wide, fairly mobile lips, it can also pick up fallen leaves from the ground. Black and Indian rhinoceroses eat shoots of trees and bushes. Herbivorous animals pull out acacia sprouts right by the roots and destroy them in large quantities. Their wedge-shaped upper lip (proboscis) allows them to grab and break off hanging branches. The black rhinoceros loves elephant grass (lat. Pennisetum purpureum), aquatic plants, milkweed and young shoots of reeds. The favorite food of the Indian rhinoceros is sugar cane. The Sumatran rhinoceros feeds on fruits, bamboo, leaves, bark and young shoots of trees and shrubs. He also loves figs, mangoes and mangosteen. The food of the Javan rhinoceros is grass, foliage of vines, trees and shrubs.

In zoos, rhinoceroses are fed grass, and for the winter hay is prepared for them, in addition to which they rely on vitamin supplements. For the black and Indian species, branches of trees and shrubs must be added to their food.

Rhinos feed in different time days. The black one mainly grazes in the morning and evening, while other species can lead an active lifestyle both day and night. Depending on the weather, an animal needs from 50 to 180 liters of water per day. During dry periods, equids can go without water for 4-5 days.

Rhino breeding

Sexual maturity of the male occurs approximately in the 7th year of life. But he can proceed to reproduction only after he has acquired his own territory, which he can defend. This requires an additional 2-3 years. The mating season for some rhinoceroses begins in the spring, but for most species there is no time of year: their rut occurs every 1.5 months. And then serious fights begin between the males. Before mating, the male and female chase each other and may even fight.

The female's pregnancy lasts on average 1.5 years. Once every 2-3 years, she gives birth to only one relatively small cub. A newborn rhinoceros can weigh from 25 kg (like white rhinoceroses) to 60 kg (like Indian rhinoceroses). A white rhinoceros's baby is born with hair. Within a few minutes he stands on his feet, the day after birth he can follow his mother, and after three months he begins to eat plants. But still, the main part of the little rhinoceros’s diet is mother’s milk.

The female feeds the cub with milk for a whole year, but he stays with her for 2.5 years. If during this period the mother gives birth to another cub, then the female drives away the older one, although most often he returns soon.

Enemies of rhinoceroses in nature

All animals are wary of an adult rhinoceros. Only man mercilessly destroys it and until today, despite all the prohibitions and protective measures.

Elephants treat rhinoceroses with “respect” and try not to get into trouble. But if they happen to collide at a watering hole, and the rhinoceros does not give way, then a fight cannot be avoided. The fight often ends in the death of the rhinoceros.

feast on delicious meat Many predators love rhino cubs: Nile crocodiles, etc. At the same time, equids protect themselves not only with horns, but also with fangs of the lower jaw (Indian and black). In a fight between an adult Indian rhinoceros and a tiger, the latter has no chance. Even the female easily copes with the striped predator.

Types of rhinoceroses, names and photos

• White rhinoceros (lat. Ceratotherium simum)- the largest rhinoceros in the world and the least aggressive among the rhinoceroses. The body length of the white rhinoceros is 5 meters, the height at the withers is 2 m, and the weight of the rhinoceros usually reaches 2–2.5 tons, although some adult males weigh up to 4–5 tons. One or two horns grow from the animal's nasal bones. The animal's back is concave, its belly hangs down, its neck is short and thick. The mating season for representatives of this species occurs in November–December or July–September. At this time, males and females form pairs for 1-3 weeks. The female's pregnancy lasts 16 weeks, after which she gives birth to one cub weighing 25 kg. They become sexually mature at 7–10 years. Unlike other species, white rhinoceroses can live in groups of up to 18 individuals. More often they unite females and their cubs. In case of danger, the herd takes a defensive position, hiding the babies inside the circle.

The white rhinoceros eats grass. The daily rhythm of representatives of this species is highly dependent on the weather. In hot weather they take refuge in mud ponds and shade, in cool weather they seek refuge in the bush, and at moderate air temperatures they can graze both day and night.

• Black rhinoceros (lat.Diceros bicornis) widely known for its aggressiveness towards humans and other species. The rhinoceros weighs 2 tons, its body length can be 3 m, and the height at the withers reaches 1.8 m. 2 horns are clearly visible on the large head of the animal. Some subspecies have 3 or 5 horns. The upper horn is often longer than the lower one, reaching 40-60 cm in length. A special feature of the black rhinoceros is its movable upper lip: it is massive, slightly pointed and slightly covers the lower part of the mouth. The natural color of the animal's skin is brownish-gray. But depending on the shade of the soil in which the rhino likes to wallow, its color can vary greatly. Only where volcanic soils are common is the color of rhinoceros skin truly black. Some representatives of the species lead a nomadic lifestyle, others are sedentary. They live alone. Pairs found in savannas are females with cubs. The breeding season of the black rhinoceros does not depend on the time of year. The female carries the baby for 16 months, the baby is born weighing 35 kg. Immediately a few minutes after birth, the little rhinoceros stands on its feet and begins to walk. His mother feeds him with her milk for about two years. She gives birth to a new baby in 2–4 years, and until that time the first child is with her. Animals feed on young bushes and their branches.

An adult black rhinoceros has few enemies in nature. The only thing that poses some danger to him is. The main competitor is the elephant. Unlike other species of rhinoceros, the black one is not aggressive towards members of its own species. There were cases when females helped a pregnant fellow tribesman, supporting her during difficult transitions. IN calm state The black rhinoceros walks with its head low and raises it when it looks around or gets angry. Along with lions, buffaloes and elephants, black rhinoceroses are among the Big Five of Africa as the most dangerous animals continent and at the same time the most coveted hunting trophies. The horn of the black rhinoceros, like the horns of all other members of the family, has been considered medicinal since ancient times. For these reasons, the mammal has always been brutally exterminated, but this has been happening especially intensively over the past 100 years. Since 1960, the global black rhino population has declined by 97.6%. In 2010, there were approximately 4,880 animals. For this reason, it was included in the Red Book of the Earth under the heading “Taxons in critical condition.”

• Indian rhinoceros (lat. Rhinoceros unicornis) lives in savannas and areas overgrown with bushes. The largest individuals reach a length of 2 meters, a height at the withers of up to 1.7 m and a body weight of 2.5 tons. The thick, pink-tinged skin of the animal is gathered into massive folds. The tail of the Indian rhinoceros, which is also called one-horned, is decorated with a tassel of coarse black hair. The female's horn looks like a small bulge on the nose. In males it is clearly visible and grows up to 60 cm. During the day, the Indian rhinoceros lies in mud solutions. In a reservoir, several individuals can calmly coexist side by side. Benevolent lumps in the water let many birds onto their backs: starlings, bee-eaters, which peck blood-sucking insects from their skin. Their peacefulness instantly disappears as soon as they emerge from the puddles. Males often fight and leave shallow scars on each other's skin. At dusk, herbivores go out in search of food. They eat reed stems, aquatic plants and elephant grass. Indian rhinoceroses are good swimmers. Cases have been recorded when their representatives easily crossed the wide Brahmaputra River.

A female rhinoceros with a calf may suddenly attack travelers. She often attacks elephants with riders on their backs. A properly trained elephant stops, then the rhinoceros also freezes in the distance. But if the elephant takes off running, the driver may not be able to hold on and fall. Then he will have a hard time, because it is almost impossible to escape from an attacking rhinoceros. Indian rhinoceroses live up to 70 years. The older the animal gets, the more lonely its lifestyle it leads. Each individual has its own territory, which the animal carefully guards and marks with dung.

Sexual maturity of females occurs at 3-4 years, males at 7-9 years. The interval between female pregnancies can be 3-4 years. Indian rhinoceroses have one of the longest periods of gestation, lasting 17 months. All the time before the onset of a new pregnancy, the mother takes care of the baby. During the mating season, males fight not only among themselves, but also with females pursuing them. Males must prove their strength and ability to defend themselves.

• Sumatran rhinoceros (armored rhinoceros) (lat. Dicerorhinus sumatrensis)- This is the most ancient representative of the family. The animal's skin is 16 mm thick and covered with bristles, which are especially thick in young individuals. For this feature, the species is sometimes called the “hairy rhinoceros.” A large fold of skin runs along its back and behind its shoulders; folds of skin also hang over the animal’s eyes. On the lower jaw of the equid there are incisors, and on the ears there is a tassel of hair. The armored rhinoceros grows two horns, the front of which grows up to 90 cm. But the rear one is so small (5 cm in females) that the animal seems to be one-horned. The height of the Sumatran rhinoceros at the withers is 1.4 m, its length reaches 2.3 m, and the animal weighs 2.25 tons. This is the smallest species of modern rhinoceros, but it still remains one of the largest animals on earth.

Day and night, the animal lies in dirty puddles, which it often makes on its own, having previously cleaned the area around it. It becomes active at dusk and during the day. The Sumatran rhinoceros eats bamboo, fruits, figs, mangoes, leaves, branches and bark of wild plants, and sometimes visits fields sown by humans. This is a fairly agile animal, it easily overcomes steep slopes and can swim. The giant leads a solitary lifestyle. It marks its territory using excrement and scars on tree trunks left by its horns. The female carries the cub for 12 months. She brings one baby once every three years and feeds him with milk until 18 months. The mother teaches the cub to find water, food, shelter, and places to take mud baths. The female reaches sexual maturity at the age of 4 years, the male at 7 years.

• now found only in the west of Java in the Ujung Kulon Peninsula Nature Reserve. The people of Java call it "wara" or "warak".

In size it is close to the Indian one, and they belong to the same genus, but the warak’s physique is leaner. The height at the withers varies from 1.4 to 1.7 m, the size (length) without a tail is 3 m, and rhinoceroses weigh 1.4 tons. Females are completely devoid of horns, and in males the length of a single horn is only 25 cm. A noticeable front the fold of the skin of individuals of this species rises, and does not bend back, like that of the Indian rhinoceros. Its favorite food is the leaves of young trees; it also eats the foliage of shrubs and vines.

The black rhinoceros (lat. Diceros dicornis) is a large equid mammal from the Rhinoceros family (lat. Rhinocerotidae). Its ancestors appeared in Africa approximately 17 million years ago.

Contrary to popular myth, these giants are not at all bloodthirsty and aggressive, but rather very cowardly creatures. Due to poor eyesight, they mostly rely on their hearing and at the slightest suspicious sound they try to hide in a safe place.

Very often, for unknown reasons, they experience auditory hallucinations, and then they rush to attack and can actually inflict fatal injuries with their huge horn.

Rhinoceroses and people

Previously, large herds of black rhinoceroses were almost completely destroyed due to the use of their horns in Eastern medicine as a powerful tonic. In the East, products made from its horn are also highly valued.

For example, in Yemen social status among many tribes it is determined by the presence of a dagger made from it. In our realities, this is akin to having a diploma higher education, therefore, local ambitious residents spare no expense to acquire an item that is so necessary in public life.

The animal was called a black rhinoceros due to a misunderstanding, like its larger white counterpart.

In both species, the skin is never white or black, but rather gray in various shades. White rhinoceros Dutch settlers in early XIX centuries called wijd, meaning "wide".

English armchair scientists who did not know the Afrikaans language decided that wijd was equivalent to the English white - “white”. So first, in the silence of the office, a white rhinoceros was born, and in late XIX centuries, an unknown egg-headed thinker blessed zoology with the appearance of the black rhinoceros, in order to distinguish it from the larger white one. Over time, this nonsense came into scientific use in almost all modern languages.

In the past, black rhinoceroses lived across vast areas of the African continent south of the Sahara, with the exception of tropical forests in the Congo Basin. Now isolated populations have survived only in national parks and reserves.

The natural habitat of these animals is the bush - a borderland overgrown with thorny bushes of tropical rainforests and grassy savannas.

Behavior

Representatives of this species lead a solitary lifestyle. Each animal has its own home area, leading to a watering hole. Around one watering hole a peculiar clan of rhinoceroses is formed, the members of which recognize each other by smell and do not show any aggression towards their relatives.

The clan has "communal pastures" of up to 80 square meters. km, where they periodically graze peacefully. The giants intensively mark the territory of their ancestral home range with their excrement and try to protect it from any encroachment.

The diet of equids includes about 200 various types plants.

They most readily eat euphorbia, aloe and wild watermelons. Leaves, young shoots and even thorny branches of acacia are also highly respected. The tenacious proboscis on the upper lip helps the mammal pluck leaves from the branches of a bush.

During the day, the rhinoceros eats green mass in a volume equal to almost 2% of its weight. Thick, rough skin allows you to ignore thorns in the densest thickets. The animal should go to water at least once a day.

Black rhinoceroses often show increased aggressiveness towards other species of animals and representatives of other clans and attack anyone who has crossed the boundaries of their possessions, developing speeds of up to 50 km/h during the attack.

Reproduction

At first mating season females emit a special smell that attracts nearby males. If several males come to a female, then ritual fights are sure to take place between them.

Before entering into battle, rivals snort menacingly and try to scare the opponent. Weaker males in most cases wisely leave the battlefield. The most formidable male stays for several days with the female, spending time eating grass together and grunting gently.

To make a pleasant and lasting impression on his chosen one, the gallant gentleman often empties the contents gastrointestinal tract and selflessly throws it in different sides. Having had enough fun, the partners separate and continue to live separately.

Pregnancy lasts about 400 days, after which a hornless baby weighing up to 40 kg is born in secluded thickets.

He quickly gets to his feet and soon begins to walk independently. The first days he hides with his mother from prying eyes. At this time, the female is very irritable and attacks everything that moves nearby.

Until the age of 2 years, the baby feeds on mother's milk. By this age, he grows to such a size that he is forced to lie down on the ground in order to reach the desired nipples. From the age of three, he begins to grow horns, but he continues to remain with his mother until her next cub appears. Females become sexually mature at 4 years, and males at 6-7 years.

Description

The body length of adult individuals reaches 3-4 m, and the height at the withers is 1.4-1.6 m. Weight ranges from 1.4 to 1.6 tons. The tail length is approximately 0.7 m.

The body is painted a monochromatic gray color. Thick skin is covered with a layer of delicate epidermis.

The massive head is slightly tilted towards the ground. There are 2 horns on the head. The large front horn is about 80 cm long, and the rear horn is up to 40 cm long. Large movable ears resemble bags rolled into a tube. The eyes are small and hidden in folds of skin on the sides of the head. At the tip of the muzzle there are wide nostrils. When walking, the animal steps on 3 toes, shod with hooves.

The lifespan of black rhinoceroses in the wild is 40-50 years.

Rhinoceroses (Rhinocerotidae) are large, often solitary herbivores.

They inhabit Africa (black rhinoceros and white rhinoceros) and Southeast Asia (Indian, Javanese, Sumatran). Their diet consists of grass, plant stems, and branches of often thorny bushes.

The rhinoceros is an animal with an armored body.

Rhinoceroses like to spend long periods of time in the dense undergrowth of the savannah. When it's hot, they go into the thicket or lie in the shade. They always stay near rivers and swamps because they love to wallow in the mud. Such baths help to avoid overheating powerful body and protects the skin from insects.

Incredibly, a black rhinoceros can accelerate to 50 km/h during an attack.

Rhinoceroses are active only in the morning and evening hours. They are surprisingly mobile for such large animals and can quickly change direction of movement. Rhinoceroses have very poor eyesight, but nature compensates for this deficiency with good hearing and an excellent sense of smell. These feelings help these large mammals notice the threat in time to avoid an unwanted encounter. The body is covered with very thick skin, which in some species has the appearance of armor.

Characteristic in the appearance of these animals there is a horn in the front of the skull. Some species, such as the black rhinoceros, have two horns, one of which is larger on the nose. It is because of their horns that black rhinoceroses are on the verge of extinction, as they are often hunted by poachers. In Arab countries, the horns of these animals are used to make dagger handles. They are also used in oriental medicine to make various medicines.

Listen to the voice of a rhinoceros

Despite the protection of these animals and the ban on trade in horns, the black rhino population continues to decline. Primarily due to high demand and a decrease in the number of animals. Therefore, rhinoceroses for the most part are preserved only in nature reserves and national parks.

Rhinoceroses are the largest animals after elephants that live on the land of our planet. The largest rhinoceros in the world is the white rhinoceros. The dimensions of this giant are impressive: length up to 4.2 m, height up to 2 m, weight 4.5 tons.

Rhinos are herbivores, but can be quite aggressive. Among the animals they have no natural enemies. One look at this powerful beast discourages any desire to attack him. There are 5 species of rhinoceroses in the world, and all of them are very impressive in size.

White rhinoceroses live in Africa. This is the largest species of these animals. The weight of adult males ranges from 4 to 4.5 tons, body length - up to 4.2 m, height - up to 2 m. Rhinoceroses have a dense build, powerful three-toed legs with hooves and 2 trapezoid-shaped horns pointing upward. The long front horn (up to 60 cm) helps them push the bushes apart, and the wide, keratinized lower lip makes it possible to bite the grass at the very root. Despite the fact that this animal is called a white rhinoceros, its skin is gray, strong and rough. He sees poorly, but hears perfectly and perceives smells subtly.

Male rhinoceroses often fight among themselves and even kill each other when competing for females. Females remain pregnant for 15 months and give birth to one baby every 2-3 years. White rhinoceroses do not attack people; they usually run away when they see a person. Despite their heaviness, these animals can run fast, reaching speeds of up to 35 km/h. In the wild, wild rhinoceroses live to be 30-50 years old.

Most of these animals live in South Africa, but they are found in Namibia and Botswana. With the advent firearms The white rhino population was almost wiped out. They were hunted for the use of their horns in medicinal purposes and like trophies in a hunt. Now African states have taken hunting under their control, and rhinoceroses have the opportunity to reproduce intensively. The white rhinoceros rivals the hippopotamus in size. Even the photo shows what an impressive and formidable animal it is.

The second largest species is the black rhinoceros. Its skin color is darker than that of a white rhinoceros, its skin is dark gray. This is a large animal up to 3 m long, weighing up to 2 tons and up to 1.5 m high. The black rhino often has 2, and sometimes 3-5 rounded horns (as in Zambia) up to 60 cm long, which are directed forward. With its trunk-shaped lip, this animal picks off the leaves on which it feeds. The body of this animal is more elongated and not as heavy as that of a white rhinoceros.

This species of rhinoceros lives in East and Central Africa. Likes to settle in the bush closer to the water. He feeds in evening time, and in the heat he dozes under the trees. These animals do not migrate and live in one area all their lives. They are loners and live in a family consisting of a mother and cub.

Black rhinoceroses rarely fight among themselves; their attacker is the female. A black rhinoceros can suddenly attack a person, and runs at speeds of up to 48 km/h. Therefore, safari participants must be very careful. Black rhinoceroses have suffered significantly from poachers hunting for their horns, which have been erroneously attributed medicinal properties. But now their population has been restored.

This animal is large and powerful. The largest males are found weighing up to 2 tons, size at the withers up to 2 m, body length up to 2.8 m. The Indian rhinoceros has a pinkish-gray, sometimes knobby skin that hangs down like a shell. This gives it the appearance of a prehistoric animal. There are tufts of hair on the tail and ears.

Powerful legs with three toes have horny endings. The upper lip of the animal is straight, slightly curved down. This rhinoceros has large incisors on its lower jaw, which it uses to protect itself from predators. It has one horn, up to 25 cm in size. Females often have a small bump on their nose instead of a horn. The rhinoceros sees poorly, but hears and smells very well. Therefore, it is difficult to get close to him.

He loves to wallow in mud, lakes and swamps and finds food there. In the water, on the back of a rhinoceros, you can see birds cleaning its skin from insects and ticks. On the shore, Indian rhinoceroses often have clashes with buffalos. Rhinoceroses have their own territory and strive to protect it from competitors. Previously, these giants were found throughout Asia. Now they live only in reserves of Pakistan, India and Nepal.

This is very rare view, there are up to 100 individuals in total; they do not breed in captivity. Length up to 3 m, height up to 1.8 meters, exact weight unknown. This animal has one horn (length up to 20 cm). The Javan rhinoceros today lives only in tropical forests Me you. Previously, it was common in East Asia, India and southern China.

This is a herbivore and can be seen very rarely. Javan rhinoceroses were exterminated by poachers, and their usual habitats were inhabited by people. During the Vietnam War, the habitat of these animals was destroyed.

5. Sumatran rhinoceros. This is the smallest of the rhinoceroses. Body length 250–300 cm, height up to 120 cm, weight from 800 to 2000 kg. This animal has 2 horns, one up to 25 cm, the second is almost completely invisible. The body is covered with reddish-brown hair. This species, like the Javanese, is in danger of extinction. Today, these rhinoceroses live in Borneo, Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula.

Such rhinoceroses feed on tree shoots, leaves and fruits. They need salt for digestion, so animals look for salt marshes. They swim well and run fast. There are less than 300 representatives of this species left in nature.

Rhinoceroses are amazing giants that have lived on Earth for millions of years. The largest rhinoceros in the world is the white rhinoceros. This is an animal that weighs up to 4.5 tons and looks like an armed fortress. Its relatives also have impressive sizes, and can also develop significant speed when moving. But these formidable animals have been almost exterminated by humans. All 5 species of rhinoceroses will soon disappear from the face of the Earth if people do not take care of their protection.