Rhinoceros

From WikiFur, the furry encyclopedia.
Jump to: navigation, search
Two African white rhinos
Neff, pencil concept (Disney's Wreck-It Ralph)
A curved horned gazelle and a horned rhinoceros. Art by Marc "Schirm" Schirmeister.

Rhinoceros (Greek rhino- for nose and keras for horn), full rhinoceroses, also known as just rhinos, are rhinocerotoids belonging to the Rhinocerotidae family. It is any one of five living species from the family Rhinocerotidae (including the White, Black, Javan, Indian, and Sumatran rhinoceroses), found in Africa, southern Asia, and Indonesia. They are in the same order of animals as horses and tapirs.

Overview[edit]

Rhinoceros are most widely recognized for the one or two large horns (depending on the species) found on the tip of their noses. These horns are used for defense and are made of keratin, the same material that composes hair and nails. Unlike true horns, they lack a bony core and grow back if broken or cut off.

Due to the poaching of these horns by humans for the purpose of decoration and an ingredient for traditional medicine, all species of rhinoceros are considered at risk for extinction, with one species classified as near threatened and one vulnerable, with the black, Javan and Sumatran rhinos critically endangered.

The northern rhino subspecies was functionally extinct on March 19, 2018, after the last male, Sudan died, and there are only two known rhinos of this subspecies left, named Najin and Fatu.[1]

Rhinoceros in mainstream culture/religion[edit]

Rhinos are found on such mainstream comic strips as Storyline of Kevin and Kell, Européen Chateau, Pluggers, and Endtown, as well as in the television show Street Sharks.

Rhinos and furry[edit]

Rhinos are one of the rare mammals found in the furry fandom. Due to their large stature, thick skin, and horns, rhinos are often portrayed as powerful, buff characters, and are rarely portrayed as females.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. The Last Two Northern White Rhinos On Earth. What will we lose when Najin and Fatu die? aticle on The New York time Magazine. Retrieved August 5, 2023.

External links[edit]

Puzzlepiece32.png This species stub needs improving.