Rhinoceros.

Rhinoceros. Class Mammalia Order Perissodactyla Family Rhinocerotidae Names male: bull female: cow young: calf Conservation Endangered due to illegal hunting and habitat destruction. Concerns Range Africa and southern Asia. Habitat Savannahs, grasslands, and tropical and subtropical forests. Size Smallest: The Sumatran rhinoceros reaches a shoulder height of about 1.4 m (4.6 ft) and weighs about 1,000 kg (2,200 lbs). Largest: The white rhinoceros can reach a shoulder height of up to 4 m (13 ft) and weigh more than 2,500 kg (5,500 lbs). Feeding Habits Rhinoceroses are herbivores; they eat grass, succulent plants, and other vegetation. Offspring The female rhinoceros typically gives birth to one calf after a gestation period of 15 to 18 months. A calf tends to remain with the mother until the next calf is born, usually two years later. Life Span About 40 years in the wild. Did You Know A rhinoceros's horn grows throughout its life. Poachers kill rhinoceroses for their horns, which are ground and used in traditional Chinese medicine. When they are threatened, rhinoceroses sometimes charge toward a distressing scent or sound. Rhinoceroses have extremely poor vision, but an acute sense of smell. Unlike other rhinoceroses, the Sumatran has a substantial amount of hair covering its skin. Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.