Javanese rhinoceros: photo, description, habitat, lifestyle. Interesting Rhino Facts

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:40

This kind of rhino is very rare. The number is about 60 individuals, which casts doubt on its further long-term existence. Ended unsuccessfully and attempts to keep this rhino in zoos. There is not a single individual of this species that would live in captivity today.

Species of Rhinos

From the once fairly numerous population of this animal, only five species have survived. Three of them - Sumatran, Indian and Javan rhinos - live in Asia. The other two, white and black rhinos, live in West and Central Africa.

1. Black rhinoceros. The number of this species of rhinoceros in the middle of the twentieth century decreased significantly - up to 13.5 thousand individuals. The largest population lives on the territory of some African countries: Angola, South Africa, Tanzania, Central African Republic, Mozambique, Cameroon, Zimbabwe and Zambia.
2. White Rhino. Its habitat is only Africa (northeast and south). These are the territories of the following countries: Zimbabwe, South Africa, South Sudan, Namibia andRepublic of the Congo. The approximate number of these animals as of 2010 is 20,170 individuals.
3. Javanese rhinoceros. The number of this species is no more than 60 individuals. In many of its habitats, the animal finally died out in the middle of the 20th century. This rhino is also threatened with extinction in the near future. More detailed information about the animal is presented later in the article.
4. Indian rhinoceros. This is the largest population. It lives in the Kaziranga National Park of India. There are about 1600 of them in total. The second largest rhinoceros is the Nepalese Chitwan Reserve, where about 600 individuals live. There is another protected area located in Pakistan - Lal Suhantra National Park, where there are 300 rhinos.
5. Sumatran rhinoceros. This species lives only on the Malaysian Peninsula and on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. The total number is about 275 individuals. The Sumatran rhinoceros is listed in the International Red Book due to a real threat of extinction.

Overview of the Javan Rhino

The rhinoceros of this very few species is included in the Red Book due to the threat of complete extinction. The main factor that led to such a deplorable state is poaching, the purpose of which is to get the horn. Its market price is three times that of an African rhinoceros horn.

Once the Javan rhinoceros was found throughout mainland South and Southeast Asia. It could be seen in many Asian countries: in India,China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand. He also lived on the islands of Sumatra and Java, as well as on the Malay Peninsula.

External features

In appearance, this rhino is similar to the Indian, only its head is much larger, and the body, on the contrary, is smaller. Also, his skin doesn't show much wrinkles.

The body has a length of 2-4 meters, a height of 170 centimeters, and a weight of 900-2300 kg. It has a Javan rhinoceros (the photo is presented in the article), like all other species, one horn. Its length reaches 25 centimeters.

Habitat Features

Typical habitats for this rare animal are floodplains, wet grasslands and lowland rainforests. Today, Javan rhinos are distributed only in the western outskirts of the island of Java in Indonesia, in the Ujung Kulon National State Park, as well as in the Kattien National Park, located in Vietnam.

In other areas of the former range, they are not found.

Rhino lifestyle

These are mostly solitary animals. Only cubs stay close to their mother until reaching their sexual maturity.

Sometimes Javan rhinos are found in whole groups near water or in mud puddles. They do not dig mud pits themselves, but mostly use ready-made ones dug by other animals.

Food

This species of rhinoceros, like many other animals, is a herbivore. The diet includes young shoots and leaves on shrubs, on small trees, as well as fallen onground foliage. The animal, trying to reach for food, leans with its whole body on a bush or tree, bends down and breaks it. An adult Javan rhinoceros can consume up to 50 kilograms of food in one day.

It should be noted that saline soils containing s alt in the upper layers of the soil are important for rhinos. This substance is necessary to maintain a good metabolism, especially for Vietnamese individuals. Animals living in Java by the sea get s alt along with sea water.

Enemies

This rhino has no natural enemies. The main threat to the rest of the population is the anthropogenic factor.

Poaching contributes to a fairly strong decrease in the number of individuals. This is due to the fact that in Chinese traditional medicine, rhinoceros horns are highly valued, the sale of which brings large profits.

In conclusion

Fun facts:

• An attempt was made to keep the Javan rhinoceros at the zoo, but this was unsuccessful, and since 2008 there has not been a single individual of this species living in captivity.
• The average lifespan of rhinos of all species is about 60 years.
• A female gives birth to only one cub every 2-3 years (rarely two) after gestation for 17-19 months, and the cub lives with the mother until the next offspring.
• In search of food, rhinos are able to travel considerable distances.
• These animals do not see well, but have a well-developed hearing and sense of smell, therefore they are well oriented in the area and, in addition, leavesmelly marks (manure) on the borders of their possessions, so as not to accidentally wander into other people's territories.
• A rhinoceros has hooves on its fingers (three in total).
• African rhinoceroses often carry buffalo starlings on their backs, removing ticks and other blood-sucking insects from their skin.
• All 5 species of rhinos are listed in the International Red Book.