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Indian Rhinoceros
Indian Rhinoceros Facts
| Kingdom: Five groups that classify all living things | Animalia |
| Phylum: A group of animals within the animal kingdom | Chordata |
| Class: A group of animals within a pylum | Mammalia |
| Order: A group of animals within a class | Perissodactyla |
| Family: A group of animals within an order | Rhinocerotidae |
| Genus: A group of animals within a family | Rhinoceros |
| Scientific Name: The name of the animal in science | Rhinoceros Unicornis |
| Type: The animal group that the species belongs to | Mammal |
| Diet: What kind of foods the animal eats | Herbivore |
| Size (L): How long (L) or tall (H) the animal is | 1.7m - 2m (5.6ft - 6.6ft) |
| Weight: The measurement of how heavy the animal is | 2,200kg - 3,000kg (4,900lbs - 6,600lbs) |
| Top Speed: The fastest recorded speed of the animal | 42km/h (30mph) |
| Lifespan: How long the animal lives for | 45-50 years |
| Lifestyle: Whether the animal is solitary or sociable | Solitary |
| Conservation Status: The likelihood of the animal becoming extinct | Endangered |
| Colour: The colour of the animal's coat or markings | Brown, Grey, Black |
| Skin Type: The protective layer of the animal | Leather |
| Favourite Food: The preferred food of this animal | Grass |
| Habitat: The specific area where the animal lives | Tropical bushland, grassland and savannas |
| Average Litter Size: The average number of babies born at once | 1 |
| Main Prey: The food that the animal gains energy from | Grass, Fruit, Berries, Leaves |
| Predators: Other animals that hunt and eat the animal | Human, Wild cats |
| Special Features: Characteristics unique to this animal | Hard, thick skin and only one horn |
Indian Rhinoceros Location
Map of Asia
Indian Rhinoceros
The Indian rhinoceros (also known as the great one-horned rhinoceros and the Asian one-horned rhinoceros) is a small species of rhinoceros native to parts of India and Nepal. The Indian rhinoceros gets its common name from the fact that it only has one horn rather than two.
Historically, the Indian rhinoceros had a vast range across northern India but today that range has been drastically reduced due to excessive hunting. The Indian rhinoceros is now confined to the tall grasslands and forests that surround the Himalayas Mountain range.
The Indian rhinoceros is one of the smaller rhinoceros species, thought to be most closely related to the Javan rhinoceros. The Indian rhinoceros has one horn which it uses for defence, intimidation, digging up roots and breaking branches during feeding. The horn of the Indian rhinoceros is made from a substance called keratin and is therefore very strong. The horn of the Indian rhinoceros is used in ancient medicine and many Indian rhinos have been illegally poached for them.
The Indian rhinoceros has relatively poor eyesight, relying more on hearing and smell to detect what is going on around them. The ears of the Indian rhinoceros possess a relatively wide rotational range to detect sounds and an excellent sense of smell to readily alert them to the presence of predators.
The Indian rhinoceros is a herbivorous animal meaning that it sustains itself on a purely plant based diet. Indian rhinos browse the densely vegetated sub-tropical forest for leaves, flowers, buds, fruits, berries and roots which they dig up from the ground using their horns.
Due to its large size, the Indian rhino's only real predator in the wild are large wild cats such as tigers that will prey on the Indian rhino calves and weak individuals. Humans are the biggest threat to the Indian rhinoceros as they have been hunted to the brink of extinction for their horns.
The Indian rhinoceros is a solitary animal and only comes together with other Indian rhinos to mate. The female Indian rhinoceros gives birth to a single calf after a gestation period that is over a year long. The Indian rhinoceros calf remains with its mother until it is at least 2 years old and big enough to become independent.
Today, the Indian rhinoceros is an endangered animal and has been pushed into only a small fraction of its historical territory by human hunters and deforestation. There are thought to be around 3,000 Indian rhinoceros individuals left in the wild, two thirds of which are believed to be in the Assam region of India.
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First Published: 6th July 2010, Last Updated: 8th November 2019
1. David Burnie, Dorling Kindersley (2008) Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Animals [Accessed at: 06 Jul 2010]
2. David Burnie, Kingfisher (2011) The Kingfisher Animal Encyclopedia [Accessed at: 01 Jan 2011]
3. David W. Macdonald, Oxford University Press (2010) The Encyclopedia Of Mammals [Accessed at: 06 Jul 2010]
4. Dorling Kindersley (2006) Dorling Kindersley Encyclopedia Of Animals [Accessed at: 06 Jul 2010]
5. Richard Mackay, University of California Press (2009) The Atlas Of Endangered Species [Accessed at: 06 Jul 2010]
6. Tom Jackson, Lorenz Books (2007) The World Encyclopedia Of Animals [Accessed at: 06 Jul 2010]
"so cool i have to do a report on this animal"
"I love rhinos there even in my zoo we have whites blacks and Indian rhinos.see all this at the orkila zoo on orcas island"
"i love rhinos so i want to save them from humans who kill them.i can't because i am ply 10 but wend i am older i will start somethinglets save the Indian rhinoceros peace see you"
"SAVE RHINO................"
"So Good,"
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