Black Rhino Facts
All 5 Species of Wild Rhinos are Endangered
Q: How many different species of rhinos are there?
A:There 5 species of rhinos. Two species in Africa, the black and white rhinos, and three species in Asia, the Sumatran, the Indian and the Javan.
Q: Why do rhinos have horns?
A:The horns are very well developed in the two species in Africa (black and white rhinos), but much smaller in the three species in Asia (Sumatran with 2 very small horns, Indian and Javan with one horn). The Asian species certainly do not use the horns to fight or to defend themselves, they use their incisors (sharp front teeth for the purpose). The horns have come about in evolution and they had (have) a general function to impress members of the opposite sex. Horns are also used for digging in waterbeds to find water, or to uproot shrubs etc. Some rhinos use the horn to guide their offspring.
Q: What is rhino horn made of?
A: Rhino horn is made of compacted hair and keratin (fingernail material). In some areas rhinos have been dehorned by veternarians in order to save them from poaching but unfortunately the horn grows back eventually and so that was deemed a short term solution to the problem.
Q: What are the reasons for the continual decreasing rhino population?
A: Due to the belief that humans can acquire magical powers by eating preparations of various rhinoceros body parts was - and still is - very widespread, the rhino horn became a lucrative activity. Rhino horn has been used in Asia folk medicine and for ceremonial dagger handles in North Yemen. Therefore, in the twentieth century the wholesale slaughter of all five species led to their extermination in large parts of their former ranges.
Its natural habitat is taken away by the growing human population. Land is converted for use in agriculture or roads, forests are still logged for hardwood.
Poaching is a very serious threat. It is also still intensifying.
Q: Why do some rhinos have square lips while others have pointed lips?
A: The while rhinoceros in Africa is the species with the wide upper lip. It is the rhinoceros that spends much of its time grazing for which reason it has developed this wide lip to help in cutting off the sharp grass.
It also has far more muscles in the neck area, which are necessary to lift the heavy head because it has to lower the head for the grazing.
The hindhead of the skull is much larger than in other rhinos to give an attachment for the muscles.
The black rhinoceros in Africa is a browser and has a prehensile upper lip to find and cut off the browse on shrubs and trees. It has a far smaller head because is does not need all the muscles for lowering the head.
Q: How far do rhinos usually travel in a day?
A: In Africa, it is said that when food and water are abundant, rhinos have no incentive to travel, so they stay in their favored localities. Rhinos in Africa are said to have a home range of about 12 sq. km, which means they would not travel more than a few miles each day.
Q: In the dry season, how far will rhinos travel to seek water?
A: Asian rhinos do not have a major problem in obtaining water, and travel to find food or partners. In Africa during the dry season, depending on the sources of water, the range increases from 12 sq. km up to 20 sq. km. Rhinos don't need to drink everyday, and cycles of about six days have been recorded.
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