header: Sumatran Rhinoceros
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line Dicerorhinus sumatrensis ( Fischer, 1814 )

INTRODUCTION

The Sumatran Rhino is the smallest of the living rhinoceroses, with a body length of between 240 and 320 cm, shoulder height of up to 145 cm and weight up to 1,000 kg.10 It is dark grey-brown in colour, and is the only Asian Rhinoceros with two horns. The frontal horn is generally under a foot long, while the posterior horn is often quite small, especially in females from which it often appears to be missing.19 Calves are born with a dense cove ring of hair. In young adults the hair turns reddish brown in colour, before becoming sparse, bristly and black in older animals.10 The Sumatran Rhino is a very adaptable species occurring in a variety of habitats from sea level swamps to montane forests. It tends to frequent the most dense forest. Although often associated with higher altitudes, probably because encounters with humans are less frequent, the Sumatran Rhino does occur in forests at lower altitudes, especiall y secondary forests where the amount of fodder within reach is greater than in primary forests.21 The diet consists largely of wild mangos, figs, bamboos and secondary plant growth species. The average daily consumption of a rhino may be over 50 kg.10

Each individual rhino has a permanent and well-defined home range which includes a saltlick. Much of the day is spent in rainwater ponds or other wallows that are dug out or deepened by the animals themselves. Wallowing may cool the animal and provide pro tection against insects.10 The species is mainly solitary, but females accompany their calves for a long period. Births occur from October to May (the period of heaviest rainfall). Both sexes become sexually mature at 7 to 8 years of age, a single calf is born, with 3 to 4 years between young.10

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