THE RHINO

The rhinoceros family is characterised by its large size (one of the few remaining megafauna alive today) with most of the species capable of reaching one ton or more in weight; herbivorous diet; and a thick protective skin, 1.5–5 cm thick, formed from layers of collagen positioned in a lattice structure; relatively small brains for mammals this size (400–600g); and a large horn.

They generally eat leafy material, although their ability to ferment food in their hindgut allows them to subsist on more fibrous plant matter, if necessary.

The African species of rhinoceros lack teeth at the front of their mouths, relying instead on their powerful molar teeth to grind up plant food.

The most obvious distinguishing characteristic of the rhinos is a large horn above the nose. The rhino is prized for its horn.

The horns of a rhinoceros are made of keratin the same type of protein that makes up hair and fingernails but the horn is not itself made of hair as previously believed.

It consists of keratin only and lacks a bony core, such as bovine horns. Rhinoceros horns are used in traditional Asian medicine and for dagger handles in Yemen and Oman.

Both African species and the Sumatran Rhino have two horns, while the Indian and Javan Rhino have a single horn.

Rhinoceroses have acute hearing and sense of smell, but poor eyesight.

The word "rhinoceros" is derived from the Greek words rhino, meaning nose and kera, meaning horn hence "horned-nose".The name for a group of rhinoceros is a "crash".