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Rhinoceros: Difference between revisions
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{{Project species box}}[[File:Rhinoceros in South Africa adjusted.jpg|alt=Rhinoceros in South Africa|thumb|Rhinoceros in South Africa]] | {{Project species box 2}}[[File:Rhinoceros in South Africa adjusted.jpg|alt=Rhinoceros in South Africa|thumb|Rhinoceros in South Africa]] | ||
A '''rhinoceros''' commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family [[Rhinocerotidae]]. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species of the superfamily Rhinocerotoidea.) Two of the extant species are native to Africa, and three to South and Southeast Asia. | A '''rhinoceros,''' commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family [[Rhinocerotidae]]. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species of the superfamily Rhinocerotoidea.) Two of the extant species are native to Africa, and three to South and Southeast Asia. | ||
Rhinoceroses are some of the largest remaining megafauna: all weigh at least one tonne in adulthood. They have a herbivorous diet, small brains 400–600 g (14–21 oz) for mammals of their size, one or two horns, and a thick 1.5–5 cm (0.59–1.97 in), protective skin formed from layers of collagen positioned in a lattice structure. They generally eat leafy material, although their ability to ferment food in their hindgut allows them to subsist on more fibrous plant matter when necessary. Unlike other perissodactyls, the two African species of rhinoceros lack teeth at the front of their mouths; they rely instead on their lips to pluck food. | Rhinoceroses are some of the largest remaining megafauna: all weigh at least one tonne in adulthood. They have a herbivorous diet, small brains 400–600 g (14–21 oz) for mammals of their size, one or two horns, and a thick 1.5–5 cm (0.59–1.97 in), protective skin formed from layers of collagen positioned in a lattice structure. They generally eat leafy material, although their ability to ferment food in their hindgut allows them to subsist on more fibrous plant matter when necessary. Unlike other perissodactyls, the two African species of rhinoceros lack teeth at the front of their mouths; they rely instead on their lips to pluck food. | ||
== | == Species of rhinoceros == | ||
The family Rhinocerotidae consists of five extant species, all of which belong to the same genus, Rhinoceros. These species are: | The family Rhinocerotidae consists of five extant species, all of which belong to the same genus, Rhinoceros. These species are: | ||
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* Climate Change: Climate change poses a threat to rhinos and their habitats. Rising temperatures, altered rainfall patterns, and extreme weather events can negatively impact the availability of food and water resources, affecting rhino populations. | * Climate Change: Climate change poses a threat to rhinos and their habitats. Rising temperatures, altered rainfall patterns, and extreme weather events can negatively impact the availability of food and water resources, affecting rhino populations. | ||
* Inadequate Law Enforcement: Weak law enforcement, corruption, and inadequate penalties for wildlife crimes contribute to the persistence of rhino poaching. Insufficient resources and lack of coordination among law enforcement agencies hamper efforts to combat poaching effectively. | * Inadequate Law Enforcement: Weak law enforcement, corruption, and inadequate penalties for wildlife crimes contribute to the persistence of rhino poaching. Insufficient resources and lack of coordination among law enforcement agencies hamper efforts to combat poaching effectively. | ||
==See also== | |||
== See also == | |||
* [[Rhinocerotidae]] | * [[Rhinocerotidae]] | ||
* [[Black Mambas Anti-Poaching Unit]] | |||
* [[:Category: Interviews about rhinoceroses]] | |||
[[Category:Rhinoceroses]] | [[Category:Rhinoceroses]] | ||
[[Category:Endandered species]] | [[Category:Endandered species]] | ||
[[Category:Rhinocerotidae (family)]] | [[Category:Rhinocerotidae (family)]] | ||