Rhinoceros

by John Telfer

Title

Rhinoceros

Artist

John Telfer

Medium

Photograph - Photograph

Description

FAA WATERCOLOR MARK DOES NOT APPEAR ON FINAL SALES
While at the San Diego Zoo located in San Diego, California I came across this tremendously large Rhinoceros while the Rhinoceros had a large thick grey coating and one very large white horn he is actually known as a White Rhinoceros and his head alone can weigh anywhere from 800 to 1,000 pounds along with his body weighing 8,000 pounds. Rhinoceros around the world are becoming an endangered species as people are killing them and chopping off their horns and selling the horn in the black market for upwards of half million dollars. The most severe of these areas is Vietnam and China. At one point in Africa there was under 2,000 Rhinoceros left. Rhinoceros /raɪˈnɒsərəs/, often abbreviated as rhino, is a group of five extant species of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. Two of these species are native to Africa and three to Southern Asia.
Members of the rhinoceros family are characterized by their large size (they are some of the largest remaining megafauna, with all of the species able to reach one tonne or more in weight); as well as by a herbivorous diet; 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�600 g); 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. Unlike other perissodactyls, the two African species of rhinoceros lack teeth at the front of their mouths, relying instead on their powerful premolar and molar teeth to grind up plant food.[1]
Rhinoceros are killed by humans for their horns, which are bought and sold on the black market, and which are used by some cultures for ornamental or (pseudo-scientific) medicinal purposes. The horns are made of keratin, the same type of protein that makes up hair and fingernails.[2] Both African species and the Sumatran rhinoceros have two horns, while the Indian and Javan rhinoceros have a single horn.The IUCN Red List identifies three of the species as critically endangered. Rhinoceroses get their name from their most famous feature: their horns. The word rhinoceros comes from the Greek rhino (nose) and ceros (horn). For ages, rhino horn has been used to treat illnesses, especially fevers. Yet like our fingernails and hair, rhino horn is made of keratin and has no healing properties. In some countries, rhinos are being dehorned, a process that removes the valuable horn but leaves the animal alive and well. This prevents poachers from killing rhinos for the money their horns would bring.

The five types of rhinos are the Sumatran, Javan, black, white, and greater one-horned. Javan rhinos and greater one-horned rhinos have only one horn, while Sumatran rhinos, black rhinos, and white rhinos have two. What they all have in common are large heads, broad chests, thick legs, poor eyesight, excellent hearing, and a fondness for rolling in the mud. Because they are very nearsighted, they often charge when they are startled. This has given them an undeserved reputation for having a bad temper. All rhinos are herbivores, eating grasses or leaves, depending on the species. At the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park, the rhinos are fed hay and high-fiber biscuits, along with carrots and apples.
Featured 1/3/13 Self Taught Artists
Featured 5/15/13 Our 4-Legged Friends
Featured 8/25/13 Wildlife One A Day
Featured 11/16/16 Real Animal Photography
Featured 11/17/16 Animal Photography
Featured 3/3/17 Kingdom Animalia
Featured 10/28/22 ART-It Is Good For You
Featured 10/28/22 If The Image Excites You
Featured 10/28/22 10 Plus
Featured 10/31/22 100 Favorite
Featured 11/12/22 Your Very Best Photography

Uploaded

December 18th, 2012

Colors

Embed

Share

Tags