Indian Rhino
One-horned
Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis): Poaching for its horn, combined with continual
habitat destruction has brought this wonderful pachyderm to the verge of virtual
extinction. It is now confined only to Assam, West Bengal and parts of the Nepal
Terai. This animal certainly needs strong protection.
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.
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.
