Kingdom : Animalia Class : Mammalia Family : Rhinicerotidae Scientific Name : Dicerorhinus Sumatrensis Size(L) : 2m - 2.5m (6.6ft - 8.2ft) Weight : 500kg - 800kg (1,100lbs - 1,760lbs) Top Speed : 42km/h (30mph) Life Span : 30 - 45 years Colour : Brown, Grey, Black Skin Type : Leather Special Features : Small body size and two horns
- Sumatran Rhinoceros is the smallest species of Rhinoceros found in the Island of Sumatra.
- They are also the only Asian rhinoceros species, to have two horns.
- They use their horns for defending themselves and intimidating their predators.
- They also use their horns to dig up roots and break branches for feeding
- The Sumatran Rhinoceros grows to an average length of 2m-2.5m.
- They inhabit large floodplains, cloud forests, dense lowland rainforests, tall grass and reed beds and wet, mud wallows.
- Though they have poor eyesight, they have excellent sense of smell and hearing.
- Their ears have a wide rotational range providing them an exceptional sense of hearing.
- They are solitary animals that come together only to breed.
- The female Sumatran Rhinoceros gives birth to a single calf after a year-long gestation.
- The calf is dependent on its mother for the first two years after which it is able to fend for itself.
- They are herbivores, feeding on leaves, buds, fruits, flowers and roots.
- Due to their large size they do not have any natural predators.
- Tigers and other wild cats prey on weak individuals and rhino calves.
- Humans have extensively hunted them, illegally, for their horns.
- The Sumatran Rhinoceros falls as an easy prey as they have two horns and are of a relatively small size.
- Their horns are made of keratin and are used in ancient medicines.
- This, along with habitat loss through rampant deforestation has made the Sumatran Rhinoceros a critically endangered species.
- There are only around 300 individuals left in the wild.