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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note [Dutch] |
The Great Indian One-Horned Rhinoceros, Rhinoceros unicornis
LENGTH OF HEAD AND BODY: 2.1 - 4.2 metres
HEIGHT AT SHOULDER: 1.1 - 2.0 metres
MASS: 1500 - 2000 kilograms
LENGTH OF HORN: 20 - 61 centimetres
Since it spends little time or energy in conflict, the daily routine of the one-horned rhinoceros is more leisurely and peaceful than that of the two African species. The latter part of the afternoon is spent in the shade of the forest and as evening approaches, they will move to more open feeding areas. The rhinoceroses will lie down to rest in the feeding area around midnight, so as to resume grazing in the early morning. Females with young calves will retire to the tall elephant grass, where the youngsters are less vulnerable to the unnoticed approach of a tiger. A fully grown adult has no enemies, (other than man), and may therefore rest relatively safely in open terrain.
In the morning, the adults will move into cover, grazing as they go and will emerge towards noon to wallow. Until late afternoon, they remain almost completely submerged, retaining social groups of as many as nine together, adults and young. Wallowing not only protects the rhino from biting insects, it also helps to keep the skin supple and prevents sunburn and overheating, inevitable in such a bulky animal.
Diet
Principally a grazing animal, the one-horned rhinoceros will move about its feeding range to take advantage of whatever fresh growth is to be found. Usually considered to be a creature of swampy areas and grassy riverine plains, when necessary it will move into drier grassland and even into higher wooded country. Rhino from wildlife reserves will often move into agricultural land, to feed on the newly sprouted rice shoots, corn, wheat, mustard, lentils and potatoes, thereby coming into direct conflict with farmers. In the same token however, farmers will drive their cattle daily to feed on the precious grass, deliberately cultivated in the Park for the rhino, once again establishing a direct conflict.
The feeding apparatus of the one horned rhino is fairly adaptable as its semi-prehensile upper lip can be folded away when it needs to graze on short, fresh grasses, as well as being able to grip tall grass and slender twigs.
Mobility
The surprising speed and agility of the one-horned rhinoceros, was noted by the hunting authors of the nineteenth century. Finishing off a wounded animal after having followed it through the tall grass, was a considerable feat and this required true sportsmanship. The awesome spectacle of a rhinoceros at full gallop was indeed a nerve racking ordeal. The fact that a charge is rarely carried through, would have been a small consolation to the hunter and, although pursuit has had fatal results on more than one occasion, the one-horned rhinoceros has retained its reputation as a timid, inoffensive animal, always more ready to run than fight. |
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