​35 interesting and curious facts about rhinoceroses. Indian rhinoceros: description of the animal with photographs and videos What rhinoceroses eat

It is not even bone and looks like a layered skin growth. If the horn breaks off, which happens quite rarely, blood flows out of the wound, and over time a new “decoration” grows. The horn, together with powerful hooves, is the main weapon of rhinoceroses.

The most amazing feature of Indian rhinoceroses is their thick skin, which forms loose folds on the neck, in front of the sacrum and behind the shoulder blades, which gives the impression that the animals are clad in armor and gives them a very “knightly” appearance. This impression is further enhanced by the convex tubercles, similar to iron rivets, that cover the upper parts of the legs and sides, with no hair on the skin. It is not for nothing that Indian rhinos are also called armored rhinos. Only the ears and the tip of the tail are covered with stiff bristles. The head is massive, with small eyes, the upper lip is grasping. On lower jaw there is a pair of fangs (pointed incisors), which animals use only when in rare cases when they have to attack the enemy.

Indian rhinoceroses are herbivores. The basis of nutrition is aquatic plants, young shoots of reeds and elephant grass. They feed in the morning and evening.

Indian rhinoceroses are very fond of water, in which they spend a lot of time. They are excellent swimmers and can even swim across big rivers. These animals never go far from water. They swim all day long or simply lie in liquid mud, especially in fairly hot weather, when they are overwhelmed by numerous insects in swampy places. Due to their passion for water, Indian rhinoceroses prefer to live in swampy savannas and bushes.

Pregnancy in female Indian rhinos is quite long (from 475 to 485 days). They give birth to only one calf weighing about 70 kg, Pink colour, with all the outgrowths and folds, but without a horn. Babies are fed milk for six to ten months. Therefore, a female can produce offspring once every three years.

Because of their enormous strength, armored rhinoceroses have no enemies other than humans. Huge and powerful elephants retreat before rhinoceroses; even a tiger does not dare to attack an adult rhinoceros. Not feeling danger, rhinoceroses do not run away when any animals or humans appear, but continue to graze. They rush only as a last resort to those who disturb their peace. Heavy and seemingly quite clumsy, they are quite fast and can move at speeds of up to 40 km/h, while jumping over large ditches.

Currently, Indian rhinoceroses are found only in India and Nepal. They live for about 70 years.

The Indian rhinoceros is one of the three types Asian rhinoceroses. The Indian rhinoceros is sometimes called the armored rhinoceros, as the numerous folds on its tuberous skin give the impression that the animal is wearing armor. This is a characteristic feature of all Asian rhinoceroses. It is attractive in its own way, and I would even say a cute animal. I really like rhinoceroses, and of all modern species, it is Indian that I like the most. The Indian rhinoceros is quite stocky. Typically the shoulder height of adult males is approximately 180 cm, and the weight is usually around 2200 kg, but can sometimes be significantly higher, making it the second largest rhinoceros in the world after the white and the largest rhinoceros in Asia. Female Indian rhinoceros are noticeably smaller than males. Their weight averages approximately 1600 kg.
The Indian rhinoceros, unlike African species (as well as the Sumatran one), has one single horn, which never reaches such enormous sizes as those of African rhinoceros species. In the battle for a female or territory, males use not only their horn, but also the powerful incisors of their lower jaw. Battles between males are ritual in nature. Such fights have their own unwritten rules and they very rarely end in the death of one of the animals. However, on the face and neck of males (especially older ones) one can often observe many scars and welts - evidence of many battles.
Indian rhinoceroses are very fond of water, in which they spend quite a lot of time (much more than their African relatives). They are excellent swimmers and can swim across large rivers such as the Brahmaputra. Due to their preferences, Indian rhinoceroses prefer to settle in swampy savannas and bush thickets, where they feed on grass, shoots, and aquatic vegetation. Its upper lip has a pointed shape, which reminds it of a black rhinoceros, which also prefers to feed on young shoots of bushes and leaves.
With impressive dimensions, enormous power, fearless and reliably protected by thick skin, the adult Indian rhinoceros has practically no natural enemies. And the babies are reliably protected by the mother. Tigers do not attack these animals (let's not count the out-of-the-ordinary exceptions). Even the mighty elephant doesn't like to mess with this armored athlete. The Indian rhinoceros may seem clumsy to some, but this impression is deceptive. It can reach an impressive speed for such a heavyweight - about 50-55 km/h. In addition, the Indian rhinoceros, like other species, has the ability to accelerate very quickly and abruptly change directions.
The only enemy of the Indian rhinoceros is man. Humans are responsible for the catastrophic decline in the population of this ancient animal. Currently, Indian rhinoceroses, like all others, are under the strictest protection. The total number of Indian rhinoceroses in the wild is approximately 2,000 individuals. Most of them live in the Kaziranga National Park, in the state of Assam. Several hundred live in Northern Bengal and Nepal.
Indian rhinoceroses breed throughout the year. For the right to copulate with one or another female, bloody fights arise between the males, during which they inflict cutting blows on each other, as already mentioned, with their large incisors. At this time, many scars and scars can be seen on the body of males. But rhinos don't fight to the death. Once one of the males has proven his superiority, he expels the loser and gains the right to mate with the female.
The pregnancy of female Indian rhinoceros lasts quite a long time - approximately 480 days. After which one cub is born, which weighs about 70 kg. The mother takes care of her cub for 3 years. By this time, the female, as a rule, manages to become pregnant again, and not long before the next offspring appears, she expels her grown-up cub. At this age, a young rhinoceros is already able to take care of itself on its own. Females reach sexual maturity by the age of 4, and males only by the age of 9. The lifespan of Indian rhinoceroses is usually about 40 years, but they can live longer (for example, in captivity).

Classification:

Order: Perissodactyla (oddactyls)
Family: Rhinocerotidae (rhinoceros)
Genus: Rhinoceros
Species: Rhinoceros unicornis (Indian rhinoceros)

Habitat.

Everyone knows that an elephant is the most big creature on the ground. Who, then, is given second place in the list of giant animals? It is rightfully occupied by the Indian rhinoceros, which is the unsurpassed leader in size among its relatives. This resident of Asia is called the one-horned or armored rhinoceros.

The one-horned heavyweight amazes with its enormous size and power. When you look at him, it seems that you see a person from ancient world. A seemingly clumsy, clumsy and slow giant in armor, if necessary, can reach speeds of up to 40 km/h. He has an excellent reaction and in moments of danger he can move very quickly. Amazing creation Indian is such a miracle of nature, what does it eat, how does it reproduce? You will find answers to these questions in this article.

What does an Indian rhinoceros look like?

The armored Indian rhinoceros, a photo of which you can see in the article, is, as mentioned earlier, a huge beast. The weight of adult individuals can reach 2.5 tons or even more. Males grow up to two meters in height at the shoulders. Females are smaller in size and weight. Their skin consists of folds located over large areas of the body and, by the way, are characteristic feature of this type. From a distance they look like they are wearing armor, hence the name of these animals.

The skin of a rhinoceros is naked, gray-pinkish in color, although it is almost impossible to distinguish this color. The thing is that Indian rhinoceroses simply love to “swim” in puddles. From such baths, the animal’s body is covered with a layer of dirt.

Thick skin plates bear knobby swellings. And on the shoulders there is a noticeable deep fold, bent back. Small tufts of coarse hair are visible on the ears and tail.

Rhinos have very poor vision and their eyes are small. They usually look with a sleepy look with an offended expression. And the horn, of course, serves as the main decoration of the animal. It can reach a length of 50-60 cm, but in most representatives of this species it does not exceed 25-30 cm. In females, this decoration more closely resembles a pointed bump on the nose.

To protect against enemies, the horn is not the only weapon of rhinoceroses. Their lower jaw is armed with powerful incisors, with which the beast can inflict terrible wounds on the enemy.

Where to find Indian rhinoceros

European colonization of Asia led to the appearance of white-skinned hunters with guns in the area. Indian rhinoceroses turned out to be tasty hunting trophy. The uncontrolled shooting of these animals has caused the almost complete disappearance of powerful beauties from their wild habitats. You can now see them only in nature reserves. Also, a small number of these animals are found in places that are difficult for humans to reach.

The historical habitat of armored rhinoceroses is very large. But in modern world these giants live only in southern Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Eastern India. In all of these territories, these animals live in nature reserves, where they are strictly protected. In the wild, unsupervised, one-horned giants are found in Pakistan's Punjab province, the remote wilderness of Bangladesh, and surrounding areas of India.

Wild Lifestyle

Indian rhinoceroses lead a solitary lifestyle. You definitely can’t call them sociable and friendly. You can see two rhinoceroses side by side in one place only when they are basking in the water, taking baths. But as soon as these giants come ashore, the friendly mood disappears and is replaced by aggression and hostility. Often, after the bathing hour, animals start fights among themselves, receiving serious wounds and scars for life.

Each rhino jealously defends its territory (about 4000 m²), which it marks with huge piles of dung. There is always a small lake or at least a puddle on the animal’s property. Perfect option, when the animal owns part of the shore of a large body of water. It is interesting that such a large animal can swim well and is able to swim across even very wide rivers.

Indian rhinoceroses “speak” not at all expressively, but these giants have their own rules of communication. If an animal is alarmed by something, it makes loud snoring. When animals graze peacefully, they grunt from time to time with pleasure. The same sounds are heard from the mother, who calls her cubs. During the mating season, the female can be heard and recognized by special whistling sounds. If a rhinoceros finds itself in a hopeless situation, is wounded or caught, then it roars loudly.

What do rhinoceroses eat?

The one-horned rhinoceros is a herbivore. Representatives of this species prefer to go out to pasture in the morning and evening, when the heat is less bothersome. During the sun, they take mud baths and swim in lakes or ponds. Often meals and water treatments coincide, the animals feed directly in the water, without which they simply cannot exist.

The Indian rhinoceros's menu consists of elephant grass and young reed shoots. Animals obtain such food using the upper keratinized lip. Aquatic plants are also included in the diet of these giants.

Reproduction

The first time a female rhinoceros participates in mating games is at the age of three. It is she who pursues the male during the rutting period. It happens to rhinoceroses every month and a half. The male is ready to breed only from 7-8 years of age.

The female's pregnancy lasts 16.5 months. Only one cub is born, but it is quite large, its weight ranges from 60 to 65 kg. He looks more like a piglet than a rhinoceros - just as pink and even with the same muzzle. Only all the characteristic outgrowths and folds, except for the horn, indicate that the baby belongs to the kingdom of rhinoceroses.

Population

In captivity, Indian rhinoceroses can live up to 70 years; such long-livers are not found in the wild. Compared to the Javanese and Sumatran, the armored rhinoceros is considered a fairly prosperous species; there are about 2,500 of its representatives.

Moreover, their number is steadily increasing. But still, despite the apparent well-being, the Indian rhinoceros (the Red Book confirms this) is considered a vulnerable species and must be protected.

If you translate the name of the Indian rhinoceros from Latin, it will sound like “one-horned rhinoceros.” Sometimes representatives of this species are also called armored rhinoceroses. In Asia you can find only one species that will surpass the Indian rhinoceros in size. This is an elephant. This species is the largest in comparison with other species of rhinoceroses living in Asia.

Appearance

Indian rhinoceroses are very large animals. Sometimes their weight can reach 2500 kg. Males can have a height of up to 2 m. Females have slightly smaller dimensions. The horn of representatives of this species can reach a length of approximately 25 cm. But in some individuals it can be up to 60 cm. But such a horn can only be seen in males. In females it is very small and looks more like a bump.

These animals have no hair. They have pinkish-gray skin. Its surface is divided into areas by folds. Therefore, it looks like a shell. That is why one of the names of the species is “armored rhinoceros”. It is quite difficult to determine what color the surface of an animal's skin is. Vedas, they very often like to roll in the mud, after which it remains on them in a whole layer.

There are small tassels on the ears and also on the tail of the animal. They have 3 toes on their paws. There is a deep fold on the shoulders of the rhinoceros. They have small eyes. The upper lip is curved towards the bottom. And on the lower jaw there are very powerful incisors, which often serve as weapons for the rhinoceros.

These animals are very strong and large. But they look like clumsy heavyweight wrestlers. This external impression is deceiving. In fact, rhinoceroses have a quick reaction time and are quite mobile. If danger approaches, the Indian rhinoceros can accelerate to speeds of 40 km/h. They have excellent hearing and a keen sense of smell. Thanks to this, already at a distance of several hundred meters the rhinoceros will understand what is there beast of prey or person. But their vision is quite weak.

Nutrition

Where does it live?

A few centuries ago, representatives of this species could be found almost everywhere in southern Asia and China. They also lived in the eastern part of Iran. But the number and habitat have been significantly influenced by human activity. They were hunted a lot, their usual habitat was destroyed. In almost all of these regions, rhino numbers have declined significantly. After colonization by Europe, Indian rhinoceroses remained only in nature reserves. The number was also affected a large number of hunters who used firearms. In addition, the jungle area was constantly decreasing as a result of the intensive population growth of Asia.

Today, representatives of this species live in the southern part of Pakistan. They can also be seen in eastern India and Nepal. A number of animals live in northern Bangladesh. The territories where rhinoceroses live are very strictly protected today. There are not many individuals left in the world. The largest population is in the state of Assam. This is Indian territory. Animals live on the territory national park called Kaziranga. About 1,600 animals live here. This is approximately 2/3 of all representatives of the species in the world. About 600 individuals live in Nepal in Chitwan Park. About 300 rhinoceroses can also be seen in one of the parks of Pakistan. Today, researchers claim that there are about 2.5 thousand Indian rhinoceroses living in the world. Their numbers are growing.

This species is listed as vulnerable in the Red Book. But the Sumatran and also the Javanese species are in a more dire situation.

The closest species is considered to be the Javan rhinoceros, which also belongs to the Indian genus. Their body reaches approximately 3 m in length, they grow up to 1.6 m in height. They have 1 horn, which grows up to 20 cm. This species is very rare. In total there are about 60 representatives. It is not possible to keep them in captivity.

Sex differences

The horn of females is much less pronounced; they are not as large as males.

Behavior

These animals prefer solitude. Each representative chooses a territory of about 4 thousand square meters. m. Elephant grass will definitely grow in this area, there will be a puddle of mud, as well as a larger lake or the coast of a larger body of water. Males, as a rule, mark their possessions with the help of dung.

You can see many paths in the thickets themselves, where a lot of elephant grass grows. They are trampled by rhinoceroses. Among them there are common ones along which animals make their way to puddles. But there are also personal paths that the rhinoceros protects from others.

Although these animals have enormous weight, they swim beautifully. They can swim across wide river or lake.

They do not make loud piercing sounds. If you disturb an Indian rhinoceros, you can hear a sound similar to snoring. The female signals her offspring with a grunt. And when does it go mating season, its sound is similar to a whistle. Rhinoceroses can also grunt while searching for food. But if one of them is injured or feels particularly threatened, they let out a loud roar.

Rhinos are usually very aggressive. If an individual is irritated, it can rush at an elephant. They can attack even without apparent reason, so you should not approach these animals.

When the Indian rhinoceros attacks, it does not use its horn, but its powerful incisors. In this way they inflict very deep wounds.

Reproduction

In captivity, animals live up to 70 years, but in the wild they usually live less.

Enemies in nature

Predatory animals do not attack them. Sometimes tigers attack, but only on babies, since the tiger is not able to defeat this animal in battle. They are not even afraid of elephants, fearlessly rushing at them. The elephant usually leaves.

1. Birds usually live next to rhinoceroses. These include herons, bee-eaters, and starlings. They hunt insects that the rhinoceros makes fly. Birds also feed on insects that live on the skin of the animal.
2. This species was the first of all rhinoceros species to be seen by people from Europe. For the first time among them, this animal was depicted by Dürer. It was an engraving called "Rhinoceros". The artist created this work without seeing the animal. The rhino looked a little wrong here. And in 1513 the animal was taken to Lisbon. It was a gift from the Rajah to the King of Portugal. Then it was Manuel I. The animal was put on display as a curiosity to the people, after which it was sent to the Pope. It was supposed to be a gift, but it never made it to its destination. The ship sank as a result of a storm.
3. Indian feudal lords had fun hunting rhinoceroses. This can be judged from the miniatures that have remained since the 16th century. In them, representatives of the Mughal dynasty hunt these animals while riding elephants.
4. Rhino hunting has caused the most damage to this species. There were legends that the animal's horn had great power. Residents of Asia were sure that this was a very good aphrodisiac, as well as a real salvation against poison. Even today, the horn of this animal is very expensive on the black market. It is usually sold by poor Asians who want to get rich this way. But in India there are many laws that strictly protect these animals from poachers.

Video: Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis)

The Indian rhinoceros belongs to the rhinoceros family and forms a species that lives in Central Asia. The animal is very large and is second in size only to the Indian elephant. Its habitat is savannah and bushland. Representatives of the species can be found in the eastern regions of Pakistan, the northeastern regions of India, southern Nepal and northern Bangladesh.

The animal lives in nature reserves. In India, the state of Assam has the largest population, numbering over 1,500 individuals. There are approximately 600 animals living in the Chitwan Wildlife Park in Nepal. There are 300 individuals in Pakistan. In total, just over 2.5 thousand rhinoceroses live in Asia today. This number remains at a stable level and even gradually increases.

The beast is powerful and large. The height at the withers reaches 1.8 meters. The usual weight for males is 2.2 tons, but there are individuals weighing 2.5 and even 2.8 tons. Females are smaller than the stronger sex. Their weight does not exceed 1.6 tons. Others characteristic differences there is no difference between the sexes. There is only one horn on the face. Its length ranges from 20 to 60 cm. Being small in size, it does not look like a horn, but like a large bump located on the nose. There are 3 toes on the feet. The eyes are small and have a sleepy expression.

The skin has a pinkish-gray tint. It consists of large folds and reminds its appearance a shell that covers the body. The effect is enhanced by the knobby bumps that cover the skin. There is no fur, only a small tassel on the tail. Overall, the beast makes a clumsy impression. At the same time, it can run at a speed of 50 km/h and swims well, unlike its African counterparts. They don't know how to swim at all. Vision is poor, but hearing and sense of smell are well developed.

Reproduction and lifespan

Representatives of the species reproduce throughout the year. Females become sexually mature at 4 years. Males usually mature at 8 years of age. In this matter, nature acted very smartly. If young males matured earlier, they would still not be able to mate with females, since more mature and stronger representatives of the species would not allow them to do so. And at 8 years old, the male turns into a powerful beast, and can claim the right to continue his family. In fights with more mature opponents, he already emerges victorious, since youth always wins.

Pregnancy lasts 16 months. One large cub is born. Its weight reaches 40 kg. Milk feeding lasts about 2 years. The baby lives with his mother until he is 3 years old, until she becomes pregnant again. After this, she herself drives away her grown cub. Males, as a rule, go as far as possible, while females remain close to their mother. Sometimes they form small groups and raise their young together. In the wild, the Indian rhinoceros lives for about 40 years. In zoos, the animal lives up to 60-65 years. But in any case, life in freedom is much better.

Behavior and nutrition

The diet consists of young low-growing grass, reed shoots, aquatic plants, elephant grass. The animal's upper lip is keratinized and has a sharp edge. Therefore, the plant is easily cut and eaten. The animal is active in the morning and evening. During the day it rests in puddles and pits with mud. At this time, birds settle on his back and peck out ticks from his thick skin. Water is considered a common territory for representatives of the species, but each rhinoceros has its own land plot. The beast marks him with its feces. The uninvited guest is shown the door. If he doesn’t leave on good terms, then a fight begins. Therefore, the bodies of males are always covered with scars.

In the wild, the beast has no enemies. He is so strong and powerful that even the tiger avoids him. But man has always mercilessly destroyed the poor animal. Firstly, the Indian rhinoceros caused disproportionate damage to crops. Naturally, the home team didn’t like this. Even today, when the beast lives in fenced reserves, it can break the fence and enter the fields. And in the old days wild nature got along well with agricultural land.

Secondly, there is a belief about healing and magical properties rhinoceros horn. Therefore, the animal was mercilessly shot at all times, and the horns on the black market were extremely expensive. In the 21st century, prices have become even higher as the number of horns has sharply decreased. Therefore, poachers even enter nature reserves and kill animals.

In response to this, the state introduced very cruel laws. Reserve employees have the right to shoot at all strangers who find themselves in the fenced area. First they shoot, and only then figure out who it is and what he needs. As a result of all these preventive measures, the population size is now at a stable level.