Rhinos: 11 Incredible Facts, Plus Photo Gallery

White rhino with giant horn for rhino facts and photo gallery

Rhino fact 4: The front horn of the African rhino species can reach over four feet in length, while the Asian rhino species have smaller horns, typically less than two feet in length.

The horn is comprised of keratin, the same material as hair and fingernails, and can be removed without harming the rhino (it grows back). At some rhino sanctuaries, the horns are removed in an effort to protect the rhinos from poachers. Unfortunate superstitions in China and other parts of Asia attribute medicinal properties to the rhino’s horn, believing it to be a “remedy” for common ailments, such as pain and fever (not as an aphrodisiac).

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About Rhishja Cota-Larson

Rhishja is the founder of Saving Rhinos, which publishes news and information about the illegal trade in rhino horn and rhino conservation issues. She is the Editor of the blogs "Rhino Horn is Not Medicine" and "Project Pangolin", and author of the book "Murder, Myths & Medicine". Check out savingrhinos.org, rhinoconservation.org, and pangolins.org to learn more. When Rhishja is not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, she enjoys rocking out to live music.

Comments

  1. memory foam says:

    Thanks for the info. They are fascinating animals. I did not realize they are fairly closely related to horses.

    I read elsewhere that the record size for a white rhino was a specimen of 10,000 pounds!

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  1. [...] one-horned (Indian) rhinos are the most aquatic of the five rhino species. They are strong swimmers and may spend 60% of their day in the water. Greater one-horned hinos can [...]

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