1. The
African Rhino- Vulnerable Despite a Thick Skin
The
rhino is a huge, ungainly and not so pretty animal that is
clearly out of prehistoric times. It however sits pretty,
amongst the big five game- the others being leopard, buffalo,
lion and elephant - and is indeed one of Africa's most celebrated
fauna.
Properly known as rhinoceros, it is the second
largest land mammal, and is exceeded in build only by the
elephant. The African rhino has in recent years made a spectacular
comeback from near extinction, and has as a result been widely
adopted as a symbol of wildlife conservation efforts.
The rhino has a long and complex history.
Scientists believe that it came into existence about 50 million
years ago. Looking at its current fortunes, it is hard to
imagine that this beast was once an abundant species that
roamed the earth with no care in the world. Its varied habitats
included Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and even the
arctic. Today it is confined to Africa, and a few locations
in Asia.
The rhino's primogenitors came in various
shapes and size. This includes the paraceratherium - that
resembled the giraffe, and believed to be the largest mammal
to ever exist on earth; telecoeras -a one horned water rhino
that looked like a crossbreed between a rhino and a hippo;
and, the coelodonta antiquitatis -commonly known as the woolly
rhino. The woolly rhino is the most popular of the prehistoric
rhinos, and its fossils have been discovered all around Europe
and Asia preserved in ancient ice.
Today
only 5 species of rhino remain, and which in 2005 numbered
17,700 animals in the wild. The Javan Rhino (60) and Sumatran
Rhino (300) species of the Asian Rhino live in tropical forests
in Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia, while the Indian Rhino
(2,400) inhabits the open plains of two of India's most important
national parks.
The African Rhinos' are categorized into two
species: the White Rhino (11,330) and the Black Rhino (3,600).
Except for the White Rhino, all other species of rhino are
considered as critically endangered. Rhinos in captivity are
estimated to number 1,200.
The rhino is a gauche looking herbivore, housed
in a cask shaped body. It has stump-like legs, each having
three huge toes. It has a tough skin, - a blend of normal
mammalian skin and cartilage, which gives it an archaic armour-plated
appearance. The rhinos most distinct feature is its horn,
and in all species either one or two projects from its snout.
The horn is primarily a defensive weapon, and is fundamental
to the survival of each individual.
Horn size varies with species - ranging from
mere snout bumps to poling heights. The horn continues to
grow throughout an animal's life. Unlike other horned animals,
the rhino's horn lacks in bonny matter. It is composed of
numerous keratin fibres -the same stuff that makes up hair.
Contrary to what you may expect, the horn is not rooted in
the skull, but is permanently ingrained into the skin. For
this reason, its removal poses a serious threat to the life
of a rhino.
The rhino's horn is its glory and curse -
the reason that has set the animal on the verge of annihilation.
Between the 1970's and early 1990's, the animal was poached
to near extinction and is today classified among the world's
most endangered species.
Rhinos are largely solitary and territorial,
but marked home ranges sometimes overlap, allowing sharing
of water holes and feeding spots. They usually demarcate territory
by spraying urine with the tail, certain that another rhino
will easily pickup the scent and have the good sense to move
on. Males will ferociously fight off trespassing males, while
they will mate with any oestrous females crossing into their
territory. The females usually share their territories with
their young ones for as long as it takes, or until the next
calf is born.
Rhinos have a sharp sense of smell and an
acute hearing ability, perhaps to make up for very poor eyesight.
The rhino's communication skills cover grunts, snorts, and
growls.
The rhino is notorious for its short-fused
temper and will charge without warning when it feels threatened
or clustered. Due to its poor eyesight, it will readily charge
at any sudden or suspicious movements. An angry rhino charges
with its head lowered and horn pointed towards the enemy.
This massive animal can dash at amazing speeds of up to 50
km/h, giving a very hard time to those caught in its path.
The rhino has an all-weather friend in the
ox-pecker; the bird you will find constantly perched on its
back. This bird rids the rhino of pesky blood-sucking ticks,
while at the same time is ever ready to issue a noisy warning
to it benefactor in times of danger.
The African white and black rhinos are not
actually of either colour- they are both of varying shades
of grey. Both species have two horns; the front one nearer
the nose, while the rear one sits right above the eyes. The
anterior horn is usually longer and thicker than the hind
one, and at best towers to an impressive 5.2 ft.
The
white rhino acquired its name from the Afrikaans word 'weit',
which means 'wide' -on account of its broad square muzzle
adapted for grazing. To some European settlers to southern
Africa, 'weit' sounded more like 'white', and the name 'white
rhino' gradually stuck.
The white rhino is actually a light shade
of grey. It is the largest and most numerous of all surviving
rhino species. It can grow up to 13 ft long -from snout to
posterior-, and can reach to a shoulder height of 6 ft, and
weighs on average 2,500 kg.
The white rhino prefers to live in grasslands
and savannah woodlands. Here, it may under favourable conditions
fruitfully live to an age of 50 years. It mainly lives a solitary
existence, except for mothers and their calves, which live
together for the calf's first 2-5 years. Females mature and
are ready to breed at the age of 6-7 years. They endure a
gestation period of 16 months, and calve in intervals of 2-3
years. Males are useful for reproduction only after reaching
the age of 10-12 years.
This white rhino classifies into two subspecies:
the Northern White Rhino and the Southern White Rhino. The
northern subspecies is critically endangered and is on the
brink of fading into oblivion. At last count, there were less
than surviving 10 individuals of this subspecies at the Garamba
National Park in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo
(DRC).
In contrast, the Southern White Rhino is doing
pretty well, and in 2005 were estimated at 11,330. Starting
with only 20 animals in 1895 in South Africa's Umfolozi area,
the subspecies has managed to recover strongly and is now
classified as a low risk species. Overall, about 90% of the
white rhino population is found in South Africa, with smaller
numbers in Kenya, Botswana, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
The Black Rhino has only escaped total decimation
by a whisker. It is estimated that in the period, 1970-1992,
numbers declined by 96%- from 65,000 to 2,300. From the mid
1990's, the enemies of the black rhino were held back and
in 2005 the population had risen to 3,600. Conservationists
in Africa, and abroad have sustained a good fight, to keep
the species propagating.
The black rhino is classified as Critically
Endangered and features in the IUCN 1996 Red List of Threatened
Animals. But the resurgence of the White Rhino in South Africa,
gives hope that the black rhino will yet thrive again.
The black rhino was so named simply to differentiate
it from the white rhino. It is a darker shade of grey and
in the rhino family is the second largest in size. It sometimes
looks darker as a result of wallowing in mud; something it
must do to cool off, as rhinos do not sweat.
The black rhino is hook-lipped, which enables
it to browse through trees and shrubs, thus feeding on a more
diverse and healthier diet. It is smaller than the white rhino;
it grows up to a length of 12.5 ft, 5.5 ft to shoulder height
and on average weighs 1,350 kg.
Page 2rmation on the African Rhino
