World Rhino Day 2021- September 22

There are total five species of rhinoceros.
They help maintain the health and balance of the ecosystem. They actively use the wetlands and
waterbodies helping towards the natural rejuvenation of the aquatic systems.
Two of the extant species of rhinoceros are native to Africa and three to South and Southeast Asia. They
are some of the largest megafauna that weigh about at least a tonne.
The White Rhino.
About 98.5% of white rhinos live in just five countries (South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Kenya and
Uganda). The white rhino has an immense body and large head, a short neck and broad chest. Females
weigh 1,600 kg and males 2,400 kg. On its snout it has two horns. It also has a prominent muscular hump
that supports its relatively large head. They have the distinctive flat broad mouth that is used for grazing.
Black Rhinoceros.
The name "black rhinoceros" (Diceros bicornis) was chosen to distinguish this species from the white
rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum). It is a species of rhinoceros, native to eastern and southern Africa
including Angola, Botswana, Kenya etc. The black rhino is much smaller than the white rhino, and has a
pointed mouth, which it uses to grasp leaves and twigs when feeding.
Indian Rhinoceros.
Indian Rhinoceros or the great Indian rhinoceros(Rhinoceros unicornis), is a rhinoceros species native to
the Indian subcontinent. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red. It has a single horn 20 to 60 cm long.
It is nearly as large as the African white rhino.
Jawan Rhinoceros.
The Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus) is one of the most endangered large mammals in the world.
It has a single horn. Its hairless, hazy gray skin falls into folds into the shoulder, back, and rump, giving it
an armored appearance. Once widespread throughout Asia, by the 1930s they were nearly hunted to
extinction in Nepal, India, Burma, Peninsular Malaysia, and Sumatra for the supposed medical powers of
their horns and blood.
Sumatran Rhinoceros
The Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) is the smallest extant rhinoceros species, Due to
habitat loss and poaching, their numbers have declined and it has become the second most threatened
rhinoceros. There are three subspecies of Sumatran rhinoceros: the Sumatran rhinoceros proper
(Dicerorhinus sumatrensis sumatrensis), the Bornean rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis harrissoni)
and the possibly extinct Northern Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis lasiotis).
Sumatran rhinoceros are on the verge of extinction due to loss of habitat and illegal hunting. Plantations
for palm oil have taken out the living areas and led to the eradication of the rhino in Sumatra.
Predators.
Adult rhinoceros have no real predators in the wild, other than humans. Young rhinos can however fall
prey to big cats, crocodiles, African wild dogs, and hyenas. Although rhinos are large and aggressive and
have a reputation for being resilient, they are very easily poached. As of December 2009, poaching
increased globally while efforts to protect the rhino are considered increasingly ineffective.
Use of Horns.
Rhinoceros horns are used in traditional medicines in parts of Asia.
Myths.
In Europe, it was historically believed that rhino horns could purify water and could detect poisoned
liquids.It is a common misconception that rhinoceros horn in powdered form can cure cancer in
Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Trade of Horns.
International trade in rhinoceros horn has been declared illegal by the Convention on International Trade
in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) since 1977.
Conservation.
In 2011, the Rhino Rescue Project began a horn-trade control method consisting of infusing the horns of
living rhinos with a mixture of a pink dye and an acaricide (to kill ticks) which is safe for rhinos but toxic
to humans. The rhino bearing states took initiatives to work for the conservation of the species. Assam
has played a leading role here as the people of Assam take pride in conserving the species and it is the
state animal of Assam. In 2005, the Forest Department, Government of Assam adopted the ambitious
Indian Rhino Vision (IRV) 2020 program in partnership with WWF India and the International Rhino
Foundation. This has been recognized as a success globally as this program helped re-introduce rhinos to
one of its historical range area, Manas National Park, the first Protected Area (PA) under the IRV2020
program where rhinos were reintroduced.

#keepthefivealive.

Ref:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinoceros

https://www.wwfindia.org/news_facts/feature_stories/protect_the_indian_rhino_secure_our_grasslands/

Poster credit: Rakesh Modala.

Gargi Shankar Adhav.
FY BSc Forestry.
Team YFN INDIA.