Kingdom : Animalia Class : Mammalia Family : Rhinocerotidae Scientific Name : Rhinoceros Sondaicus Size(L) : 3.1m - 3.2m (10ft - 10.5ft) Weight : 900kg - 2,300kg (2,000lbs-5,100lbs) Top Speed : 42km/h (30mph) Life Span : 30 - 45 years Colour : Brown, Grey, Black Skin Type : Leather Special Features : Hard, thick skin and only one horn
- Javan Rhinoceros is a smaller species of rhinoceros found in south-east Asia.
- They are also known as the lesser one-horned rhinoceros and the Sunda rhinoceros.
- They are the only species of rhinoceros apart from the Indian rhinoceros to have a single horn and are closely related to them.
- They use this horn (measuring around 25cm) to dig up roots and break branches for feeding and also to defend themselves.
- Their horn is made up of Keratin and is known to be very strong.
- Interestingly, their horn is used in ancient medicine and they get illegally poached for their horns.
- They are found only in the island of Java and Vietnam
- They inhabit the dense lowland rain forests, large floodplains, tall grass and reed beds with lot of rivers and mud mallows.
- Though they have poor eyesight, they have a very keen sense of hearing and smell.
- They are herbivore feeding on leaves, fruits, berries, buds, flowers and roots.
- Their natural predators are the wild cats which prey on the calves and the weak individuals.
- Humans have posed a great threat to them by poaching them extensively for their horns.
- Javan Rhinoceros is a solitary animal that gets together with other individuals only to mate.
- The females give birth to a single calf after a year-long gestation.
- The calves are looked after by their mothers till they are around 2 years old and are independent.
- Habitat loss through deforestation and human poaching have made the Javan Rhinoceros an endangered species today.