Content
- Characteristics and curiosities of rhinos
- Types of Rhinoceros
- Are rhinos carnivores or herbivores?
- How much does a rhinoceros eat a day?
- Digestive system of rhinos
- What does the white rhinoceros eat?
- What does the Black Rhinoceros eat?
- What does the Indian rhinoceros eat?
- What does Javan rhinoceros eat?
- What does the Sumatran rhinoceros eat?
Rhinoceros belong to the order Perissodactyla, suborder Ceratomorphs (which they only share with tapirs) and the Rhinocerotidae family. These animals make up the group of large land mammals, as well as elephants and hippos, with weight up to 3 tons. Despite their weight, size and generally aggressive behavior, all rhinos fall under an endangered species classification. Specifically, three of the five types of rhinoceros that exist are in a critical situation due to their massive hunting.
If you are curious about these animals and want to know more about their diet, continue reading this article by PeritoAnimal, in which we will explain O that the rhinoceros eats.
Characteristics and curiosities of rhinos
Before talking about feeding rhinoceros, you know what the difference between horns and horns? The horns are formed exclusively of solid bones and covered by a layer of skin with numerous blood vessels located in the frontal bone of the skull. When they become mature, these vessels stop receiving blood and this skin dies. In this way, the horn is usually changed every year. Among the animals with horns, we highlight reindeer, moose, deer and caribou.
On the other hand, the horn is a projection of the bone wrapped in a keratin layer that goes beyond bone projection. Among the animals with horns are antelopes, bovines, giraffes and rhinos, which have horns formed completely by keratin located in the line of the nose.
The rhino horn is its most characteristic feature. In fact, its name originates precisely from the presence of this structure, since the term "rhinoceros" means horned nose, which comes from a combination of Greek words.
In ungulate animals, the horn is an extension of the skull formed by a bony nucleus and covered by keratin. This is not the case with rhinos, as their horn lacks bone nucleus, being a fibrous structure composed of dead or inert cells fully filled with keratin. The horn also contains calcium salts and melanin in its core; both compounds offer protection, the first against wear and tear and the second against the sun's rays.
Due to the presence of specialized epidermal cells located at the base, the rhino horn can regenerate through periodic growths. This growth will depend on factors such as age and gender. For example, in the case of African rhinos, the structure grows between 5 and 6 cm per year.
As we mentioned, rhinos are large and heavy animals. Generally, all species exceed a ton and are capable of felling trees because of their great strength. Also, compared to body size, the brain is small, the eyes are located on either side of the head, and the skin is quite thick. As for the senses, smell and hearing are the most developed; on the other hand, vision is poor. They are usually quite territorial and lonely.
Types of Rhinoceros
Currently, there are five species of rhinos, which are as follows:
- White rhino (keratotherium simun).
- Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicorni).
- Indian Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis).
- Rhino of Java (Rhinoceros sonoicus).
- Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis).
In this article, we'll explain what each type of rhino feeds on.
Are rhinos carnivores or herbivores?
rhinos are herbivorous animals that, to keep their bodies large, they need to consume large amounts of plant matter, which can be soft and nutritious parts of plants, although in cases of scarcity they eat foods rich in fiber that they process in their digestive system.
Each of the rhino species consumes various types of plants or parts of them available in their natural ecosystems.
How much does a rhinoceros eat a day?
It depends on each species, but a Sumatran rhinoceros, for example, can eat up to 50 kg of food a day. The black rhino, in turn, consumes about 23 kg of plants daily. Also, a rhino ingests somewhere between 50 and 100 liters of liquids a day. Therefore, in times of extreme drought, they can survive up to five days due to the accumulation of fluids in their body.
Digestive system of rhinos
Each animal group has its own adaptations to consume, process and obtain nutrients from foods that are present in their natural habitats. In the case of rhinos, these adaptations can be seen in the fact that some species have lost their front teeth and others hardly use them for feeding. That is why, use lips to eat, which depending on the species can be prehensile or wide, to feed. However, they use premolar and molar teeth, as they are highly specialized structures with a large surface area to grind food.
The digestive system of rhinos is simple., as in all perissodactyls, so the stomach has no chambers. However, thanks to post-gastric fermentation carried out by microorganisms in the large intestine and cecum, they are able to digest the large amount of cellulose they consume. This assimilation system is not as efficient, since many of the proteins produced by the metabolism of food consumed by these animals are not used. So, the consumption of large volumes of food it's very important.
What does the white rhinoceros eat?
The white rhinoceros was on the brink of extinction about a hundred years ago. Today, thanks to conservation programs, it has become the most abundant rhino species in the world. However, it is in the near-threatened category.
This animal is distributed throughout much of Africa, mainly in protected areas, has two horns and is actually gray and not white. It has very thick lips that it uses to uproot the plants it consumes, as well as a flat, wide mouth that makes it easier to graze.
It mainly inhabits dry savannah areas, so its diet is based on:
- Herbs or non-woody plants.
- Sheets.
- Small woody plants (according to availability).
- Roots.
The white rhinoceros is one of the most popular animals in Africa. If you want to meet other animals that live on the African continent, we encourage you to read this other article about animals from Africa.
What does the Black Rhinoceros eat?
The Black Rhinoceros was given this common name to differentiate it from its African relative, the White Rhinoceros, as both are from Gray color and they have two horns, but differ mainly in their dimensions and mouth shape.
The black rhino is in the category critically threatened extinction, with a general population greatly reduced by poaching and habitat loss.
Its original distribution is in arid and semiarid areas of Africa, and is probably already extinct in Central Africa, Angola, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sudan and Uganda.
The black rhino's mouth has pointed shape, which makes it easier for your diet to be based on:
- Shrubs.
- Leaves and low branches of trees.
What does the Indian rhinoceros eat?
The Indian rhinoceros has color silvery brown and, of all kinds, it seems to be covered most by layers of armor. Unlike African rhinos, they have only one horn.
This rhinoceros was forced to reduce its natural habitats due to human pressure. Previously, it was distributed in Pakistan and China, and today its area is restricted to grasslands and forests in Nepal, Assam and India, and on low hills near the Himalayas. Your current rank status is vulnerable, according to the Red List of Endangered Species.
The diet of the Indian rhinoceros is composed of:
- Herbs.
- Sheets.
- Branches of trees.
- Riparian plants.
- Fruits.
- Plantations.
What does Javan rhinoceros eat?
Male Javan Rhinoceros have a horn, while females do not have or present a small, knot-shaped one. It is a species that is also about to be extinct, being classified as critically threatened.
Given the low population number, there are no in-depth studies on the species. The few existing individuals inhabit a protected area in the Java island, Indonesia.
The Javan rhinoceros has a preference for lowland forests, muddy floodplains, as well as high grasslands. Its upper lip is prehensile in nature and, although it is not one of the biggest rhinos, it manages to cut down some trees to feed on its younger parts. In addition, it feeds on a wide variety of plant genera, which is undoubtedly related to the types of habitats mentioned.
The Javan Rhinoceros feeds on new leaves, buds and fruits. They also need to consume salt to obtain certain nutrients, but due to the lack of reserves of this compound on the island, they drink seawater.
What does the Sumatran rhinoceros eat?
With a very small population, this species was classified as critically threatened. The Sumatran rhinoceros is the smallest of all, has two horns and has the most body hair.
This species has very primitive characteristics that clearly differentiate it from other rhinos. In fact, studies show that they have virtually no variations from their predecessors.
The existing low population is located in the mountainous areas of Sondalândia (Malaka, Sumatra and Borneo), so your diet is based on:
- Sheets.
- Branches.
- Bark of trees.
- Seeds.
- Small trees.
The Sumatran rhinoceros too lick salt rocks to get some essential nutrients.
Finally, all rhinos tend to drink as much water as possible, however, they are able to hold out for several days without consuming it in cases of scarcity.
Given the large size of rhinos, they have virtually no natural predators as adults. However, their dimensions have not freed them from the human hand, which has hounded these species for centuries due to popular belief about the benefits of their horns or blood to people.
Although an animal's body parts can provide some benefit to a human, this will never justify mass killing for that purpose. Science has been able to constantly advance, which allows the synthesis of most compounds that are present in nature.
And now that you know what the rhinoceros eats, be sure to watch the following video about the world's most dangerous animals:
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