The Indian Rhinoceros is a rather interesting animal found in the country. It is also known as the great one-horned rhinoceros, and it is easily the second largest member of the rhino family after the white rhino. The Indian rhinoceros can be found in Nepal and the northern regions of India. This species of rhinoceros inhabits swamps, forests and floodplain grasslands. Poaching and agricultural development has led to a habitat loss for these rhinos in addition to the fact that their horns are an essential part of traditional Asian medicine. As a result, these beautiful animals are facing the brink of extinction since the start of the 20th century.
That said, thanks to all the conservation efforts to save this unique species of the Indian rhinoceros, their population is getting much more stable and bigger with time. If statistics are to be believed, according to the data collected in 2015, a total of 3555 rhinos are left in the wild. Yet, these animals are still classified as a rather vulnerable species on the planet.
A fact that cannot be disputed is that the Indian rhinoceros is a curious creature and there are countless interesting facts about it. Let us check some of that trivia out!
- An Indian rhinoceros has excellent hearing and sense of smell but poor eyesight. When it needs to mate, it identifies its partner by following the intense scent that is very typical in this species.
- An Indian rhinoceros usually tends to be active in the late afternoons and early mornings.
- As a rule of thumb, these animals like spending the majority of their time in areas that offer enough mud and water. These two things are essential for the one-horned rhino so that it can cool during the hottest parts of the day. In addition to that, the Indian rhinoceros is a species that is an excellent swimmer.
- This species is quite solitary in nature. The male rhinoceros inhabit anywhere between 0.77 and 3.09 square miles of territory. These creatures utilize urine, glandular secretion and feces to mark their territory. When the mating season arrives, these animals tend to become quite aggressive and have been known to fight to the death.
- Female Indian rhinoceros usually reach their stage of sexual maturity anywhere between the ages of 4 and 6 years old while the male Indian rhinoceros reach theirs around 9 years of age.
- Female rhinos tend to be pregnant for around 15-16 months with one baby calf. These young rhinos stay with their mothers until they are 2 years old after which the next calf appears.
- They have a life expectancy rate of approximately 40 years.
- These animals are grazers and follow a grass-based diet. They eat grass, fruits, and vegetables as well as can largely stay happy on this kind of diet.
- Tigers and humans who hunt weak animals are usually the enemies of the one-horned rhino.
- These creatures have a heavy skull and super flexible ears.
Final Words
The one-horned rhinoceros is the jewel of India and should be protected from extinction at all costs. Creatures such as the Indian rhinoceros are rare, and not many are left on the planet. In addition to that, this species is as rare as it is anatomically gorgeous. Therefore, it is of paramount importance that humans do not exploit these innocent creatures for their own selfish and material gains. If we wish for any semblance of normality and environmental protection on the planet, these animals must be conserved as they deserve.