Save these five
- POSTED ON: 21 Sep, 2024
- TOTAL VIEWS: 206 Views
- POSTED BY: Archana Subramanian | Text: R. Krithika
- ARTICLE POINTS: 100 Points
The name rhinoceros comes from the Greek words rhis (nose) and keros (horn). Among the largest megafauna still around, these herbivores weigh at least one tonne as adults. Today, there are five species found: White, Black, Sumatran, Indian and Javan. Rhinos are today under threat due to poaching for their horns, which are used in traditional medicine, and due to habitat destruction leading to declining availability of vegetation.
Read on to learn more about these five rhinos. As you read, move the slider from right to left to see how they look.
Though called white rhino, its skin is grey in colour. The southern white rhino is the most abundant rhino species in the world. The northern white rhino is most likely extinct in the wild and just two females are left in captivity.
Javan rhino is the most endangered mammal in the world with less than 60 believed to remain alive.
With just 275 individuals left, the Sumatran rhino is the second-most threatened rhinoceros. The smallest of the rhinos, this one lives in the high altitudes of
Despite its name, the black rhino is not easily distinguished from its white cousin. It is mainly found in Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
The Indian rhino once ranged from Pakistan to Myanmar but today is found only in protected areas in India. Two-thirds of the world’s population is found in Kaziranga National Park, Assam in India.