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| The Indian
rhinoceros ("rhino") has one horn,
and it has skin with loose folds which make
it appear armored. These characteristics distinguish
it from the African (black and white) rhinos.
It weighs 1600 (female) - 2200 (male) kg (3500
- 4800 lb). The Indian rhino has been recorded
from a number of habitats, including marshy
lowland and reedbeds; tall grass or bush with
patches of savanna and occasional streams
and swamps; thick tree and scrub riverine
forest; and dry, mixed forest. The Indian
rhino mainly eats grass, reeds and twigs,
feeding mostly in the morning and evening.
It is usually solitary and spends long periods
lying in water and wallowing in mud. |
| Physical
Appearance |
The
usual weight of an Indian Rhino is 2,000 kg.
The one way to distinguish between a an Indian
Rhino and an African Rhino is the single horn.
Both white and black African Rhinos have two
horns. Another distinguishing feature of the
Indian Rhinoceros is its skin, which is knobbly
and falls into deep folds at its joints, giving
a look like the Rhino is wearing a coat of
armour.
All the Rhinos are vegetarian and Indian Rhinos
mostly eat grass, fruits, leaves and crops.
Their well developed upper lip helps them
to eat out tall elephant grasses, which they
like the best. It also helps them to pull
out aquatic plants by the roots. Indian Rhinos
usually prefer to roam around in the morning
and evening hours to avoid the heat of the
day and live for about 40 years. |
| Habitat |
| The
Indian rhino formerly occurred from the foothills
of the Hindu Kush in Pakistan , across the
sub-Himalayan region, to the India-Myanmar
border on the eastern edge of the Brahmaputra
watershed. By the late 19th century, the Indian
rhino had been eliminated from everywhere
except the Chitwan Valley (Nepal), lowland
Bhutan, the Teesta Valley (west Bengal, India)
and the Brahmaputra Valley (Assam, India).
For most of the 20th century, known populations
have been concentrated in southern Nepal and
northeastern India . |
| Behaviour |
The
Indian rhinos is generally a solitary animal
when it feeds, but it may share wallows or
bathing places. The female is often accompanied
by a single offspring for several years. It
rarely attacks and usually flees from danger,
although it has little to fear except from
man. It likes to be near water, and bathes
frequently. It is active night or day, feeding
on grass, shoots, and tender plants.
Gestation lasts for 15 to 16 months, after
which the female delivers a single young,
usually in March or April. The youngster nurses
for about two years, and stays near its mother
for another year after weaning. It reaches
sexual maturity between three and five years
of age. |
| Type
of Rhinos |
There
are five kinds of Rhinos found in the world
- white rhino, black rhino, Indian rhino,
Javan rhino, and Sumatran rhino. The white
and black Rhinos are live in Africa , while
Indian, Javan and Sumatran are Asian Rhinos,
found in Noth Pakistan , Assam in India ,
Nepal , Bhutan and Bangladesh.
The usual weight of an Indian Rhino is 2,000
kg. The one way to distinguish between a an
Indian Rhino and an African Rhino is the single
horn. Both white and black African Rhinos
have two horns. Another distinguishing feature
of the Indian Rhinoceros is its skin, which
is knobbly and falls into deep folds at its
joints, giving a look like the Rhino is wearing
a coat of armour.
All the Rhinos are vegetarian and Indian Rhinos
mostly eat grass, fruits, leaves and crops.
Their well developed upper lip helps them
to eat out tall elephant grasses, which they
like the best. It also helps them to pull
out aquatic plants by the roots. Indian Rhinos
usually prefer to roam around in the morning
and evening hours to avoid the heat of the
day and live for about 40 years. |
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