Difference between revisions of "Rhinoceros"

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[[Rhinoceros]] (Greek: ῥῑνόκερως; ''rhinos'' and κέρας ''keras''; "nose-horn") refers to several large [[pachyderm]]atous [[herbivore|herbivorous]] land mammals of Africa and Asia, which bear one or two nasal horns.  
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[[Rhinoceros]] (Greek: ῥῑνόκερως; ''rhinos'' and κέρας ''keras''; "nose-horn") refers to several large [[pachyderm]]atous [[herbivore|herbivorous]] land mammals of Africa and Asia, which bear one or two nasal horns.  Rhinoceros have poor vision but a good sense of smell, and despite their size - which is exceeded only by [[elephant]]s - they can quickly face danger and charge at speeds up to 35 mph.  
  
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Rhinoceros have poor vision but a good sense of smell.
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Five species are in existence today, but severely-reduced in numbers; four species currently are near the brink of extinction as a result of the illegal trade in rhino horns:
  
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Five sorts are in existence today, but all with greatly diminished ranges; all are threatened with [[extinction]] due to [[poaching]], as their horns command enormous prices, being believed to have [[aphrodisiac]] properties. The legend of the [[unicorn]] is believed by some to have been based on seeing some sort of rhinoceros.
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*White or square-lipped rhinoceros ''Ceratotherium simum''
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*Black rhinoceros ''Diceros bicornis''
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*Indian rhinoceros ''Rhinoceros unicornis''
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*Javan rhinoceros ''Rhinoceros sondaicus''
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*Sumatran rhinoceros ''Dicerorhinus sumatrensis''
  
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*White or square-lipped rhinoceros (2-horned, Africa) is the largest variety.
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A number of extinct varieties are also known, notably the woolly rhinoceros of the [[Ice Age]], a contemporary of the Woolly [[Mammoth]]. Several frozen corpses of this animal have been discovered in the [[Siberia]]n [[permafrost]].
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*Black rhinoceros (2-horned, Africa), renowned for its pugnacity.
 
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*Indian rhinoceros (1-horned, India and Nepal).
 
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*Sumatran rhinoceros (2-horned, Sumatra, Indo-China and Indonesia) is the smallest variety, and unlike the others has a hairy pelt.
 
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*Javan rhinoceros (1-horned, Java and Vietnam) is the rarest large land mammal in the world; less than sixty survive.
 
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A number of extinct varieties are also known, notably the woolly rhinoceros of the [[Ice Age]], which cohabited with the Woolly [[Mammoth]]. Several frozen corpses of this animal have been discovered in the [[Siberia]]n [[permafrost]].
 
  
 
[[Category:Odd-toed ungulates]]
 
[[Category:Odd-toed ungulates]]

Revision as of 23:18, October 15, 2009

Rhinoceros
200px
Scientific classification
Kingdom Information
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Information
Phylum Chordata
Class Information
Class Mammalia
Order Information
Order Perissodactyla
Family Information
Family Rhinocerotidae
Genus Information
Genus Ceratotherium
Dicerorhinus
Diceros
Rhinoceros
Species Information
Species C. simum
D. sumatrensis
D. bicornis
R. unicornis
R. sondaicus
Population statistics

Rhinoceros (Greek: ῥῑνόκερως; rhinos and κέρας keras; "nose-horn") refers to several large pachydermatous herbivorous land mammals of Africa and Asia, which bear one or two nasal horns. Rhinoceros have poor vision but a good sense of smell, and despite their size - which is exceeded only by elephants - they can quickly face danger and charge at speeds up to 35 mph.

Five species are in existence today, but severely-reduced in numbers; four species currently are near the brink of extinction as a result of the illegal trade in rhino horns:

  • White or square-lipped rhinoceros Ceratotherium simum
  • Black rhinoceros Diceros bicornis
  • Indian rhinoceros Rhinoceros unicornis
  • Javan rhinoceros Rhinoceros sondaicus
  • Sumatran rhinoceros Dicerorhinus sumatrensis

A number of extinct varieties are also known, notably the woolly rhinoceros of the Ice Age, a contemporary of the Woolly Mammoth. Several frozen corpses of this animal have been discovered in the Siberian permafrost.