Rhino By: Rodas Biruk

Habitat / Area  Rhino habitat ranges from savannas to dense forests in tropical and subtropical regions.  Rhinos are found in parts of Africa and Asia.

Food  Rhinos are herbivores, meaning they eat only plants. White rhinos, with their square-shaped lips, are ideally suited to graze on grass.  They eat……  Small branches and twigs  Fruits  Shrubs  Edible roots.

Physical Characteristics  The black rhino is the smaller of the two African species.  Adult males weigh up to 1,350 kg and females up to 900 kg. Weight at birth: 35-45kg.  They only have hair on the ears, tail tips and eyelashes.  There is actually no color difference between the white and black rhino. They are both of a dark grey color, but this can vary depending on local soil conditions, (as rhinos tend to wallow in the mud or dust, their skin may vary in color accordingly).

Behaviors  As solitary creatures, both male and female rhinos establish territories. Males mark and defend their territories. Rhinos use their horns not only in battles for territory or females but also to defend themselves from lions, tigers and hyenas.

Communication  The rhino relies on its sense of smell quite extensively, since it is so finely tuned. The olfactory area of the brain is its largest, indicating how important it is to the animal. The spraying of faeces and urine are, therefore, common means of communicating with other rhinos to establish ownership of personal territory or the presence of another rhino at a watering hole or popular feeding area.  They also use sounds and these sounds include squeals, snorts, moos, growls and even a trumpet sound.  Screaming indicates fright, terror or an urgent appeal for the calf to get to safety. Panting is used to indicate to other rhinos that they need to join up, particularly in the face of danger. It is also used by the mother to call her calf. The speed and pattern of this panting is integral to the rhino’s conveying different messages.

Fun Facts  Relative to their large body size, rhinoceros have small brains.  Rhinoceros have thick, protective skin.  Rhinoceros horns are made from a protein called keratin, the same substance that fingernails and hair are made of.  Rhinoceros are often hunted by humans for their horns.

Life Cycle Baby Rhino Child Rhino Adult Rhino

Websites   k_rhino_factfile k_rhino_factfile    

Cinquain Rhino Gray, Big Charging, Eating, Protecting Big bundle of fear Thunder

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