Everyone knows that the elephant is the largest creature on earth. Who, then, was given second place in the list of giant animals? He is rightfully occupied by the Indian rhino, which among its relatives is an unrivaled leader in size. This Asian is called a unicorn or armored rhino.
The one-horned heavyweight impresses with its huge dimensions and power. When you look at him, it seems that you see a native of the ancient world. It looks like a clumsy, clumsy and slow giant in armor, if necessary, is capable of speeds up to 40 km / h. He has an excellent reaction and in moments of danger he can move very quickly. The amazing creation of an Indian rhino! Where such a miracle of nature dwells, what eats, how does it multiply? You will find answers to these questions in this article.
What does an Indian rhino look like?
Armored Indian rhinoceros, a photo of which you can see in the article, as mentioned earlier, is a huge beast. The weight of adults can reach 2.5 tons and even more. In height, males grow up to two meters in the shoulders. Females are smaller and lighter. Their skin is folds located on large areas of the body and, by the way, which are a characteristic feature of this species. From a distance, they look like they are dressed in armor, hence the name of these animals.
The rhino skin is naked, grayish-pink in color, although it is almost impossible to distinguish this color. The thing is that Indian rhinos just love to "swim" in puddles. From such baths, the body of the animal is covered with a layer of dirt.
Thick skin laminae are lumpy swellings. And on the shoulders a deep fold is visible, bent back. On the ears and tail are visible insignificant brushes of hard hair.
Rhino’s vision is very weak and their eyes are small. They usually look with a sleepy look with an offended expression. And the horn, of course, serves as the main decoration of the animal. It can reach a length of 50-60 cm, but in most representatives of this species it does not exceed 25-30 cm. In females, this decoration more closely resembles a pointed cone on the nose.
To protect against enemies, the horn is not the only rhinoceros weapon. Their lower jaw is armed with powerful incisors with which the beast can inflict terrible wounds on the enemy.
Where to find Indian Rhino
European colonization of Asia led to the appearance of white-skinned hunters with guns in the area. Indian rhinos turned out to be a tasty hunting trophy. Uncontrolled shooting of these animals became the reason for the almost complete disappearance of powerful handsome men from their free habitats. You can now see them only in nature reserves. Also, a small amount of these animals is found in places inaccessible to humans.
The historical habitat of armored rhinos is very large. But in the modern world, these giants live only in southern Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and East India. In all these territories, these animals live in nature reserves, where they are strictly guarded. In the wild, unsupervised, one-horned giants are found in the Pakistani province of Punjab, in the remote wilderness of Bangladesh and surrounding areas of India.
Wildlife Lifestyle
Indian rhinos lead a solitary lifestyle. You can’t name them friendly and friendly. You can see in one place next to two rhinos only when they bask in the water while taking baths. But once these giants go ashore, a friendly mood disappears, and aggression and hostility replace it. Often, after a bathing hour, animals arrange fights among themselves, while receiving serious wounds and scars for life.
Each rhinoceros zealously defends its territory (about 4000 m²), which is marked by huge heaps of manure. On the site of the animal is necessarily a small lake or at least a puddle. Ideal when the beast owns part of the shore of a large reservoir. It is interesting that such a large animal can swim well and is able to swim even very wide rivers.
Indian rhinos “speak” not at all expressively, but these giants have their own rules of communication. If an animal is alarmed by something, it emits loud snoring. When animals graze peacefully, from time to time they grunt with pleasure. The same sounds are heard from the mother, who calls her cubs. During the mating season, the female can be heard and recognized by special whistling sounds. If the rhino falls into a hopeless situation, is wounded or caught, then it roars loudly.
What do rhinos eat?
One-horned rhino belongs to herbivores. Representatives of this species prefer to go to pasture in the morning and in the evening, when the heat does not bother. During the sun, they take mud baths, bathe in ponds or ponds. Often, meals and water procedures coincide, animals feed right in the water, without which they simply cannot exist.
The menu of the Indian rhino consists of elephant grass and young reed shoots. Animals get such food with the help of the upper keratinized lip. Aquatic plants are also included in the diet of these giants.
Breeding
The first time a female rhino participates in mating games at the age of three. It is she who pursues the male during the rutting season. It happens with rhinos every six weeks. The male is ready for breeding from only 7-8 years old.
The female pregnancy lasts 16.5 months. A baby is born only one, but rather large, its weight ranges from 60 to 65 kg. It looks more like a pig than a rhino - the same pinkish and even with the same muzzle. Only now, all the characteristic outgrowths and folds, except for the horn, in the kid give out belonging to the kingdom of rhinos.
