Rhinoceros is a word that means “nose horn”, but most of the ancestors of modern day rhinos didn’t have horns at all… and some had horns that were just weird! Today’s rhinos all have at least one horn, and some species have two. There are five species of rhinos. Two species are found in Africa and include black rhinos and white rhinos. Three species are found in Asia and include Indian rhinos, Javan rhinos, and Sumatran rhinos. All of the rhino species have populations that are under threat due to poaching and loss of habitat, but it can also be said that southern white rhinos are one of the greatest success stories in terms of species conservation. In the late 1800s fewer than 100 southern white rhinos were alive in the wild. After more than a century of conservation efforts, there are believed to be more than 20,000 surviving individuals today. That’s an impressive number considering there are probably less than 3,000 rhinos total living wildly in Asia, but it’s also amazing to consider that modern rhino predecessors once wandered the world in huge herds, and even that long ago rhino populations were more than half a million. The largest species of rhinoceros are white rhinos who can grow to be more than 10 feet (3.05m) long, 5 feet (1.52m) tall, and weigh close to 5,000 pounds (2,268kg). Despite this large size, rhinos can run faster than 30 mph (48.28 kph) for short distances! I can’t help but imagine a Sumatran rhino running at full speed and its hair beautifully flowing. Sumatran rhinos have a lot of hair while the other rhino species have very little. All rhinos have thick skin, however, and it can be smooth or folded to give the appearance of armored plates. One of the most famous rhino depictions is Dürer's Rhinoceros which is a woodcut piece by a German painter who had never actually seen a rhinoceros. I gotta say, though, it’s pretty dang good all things considered, though that extra horn on the neck seems a little silly! Rhino horns are made of keratin just like the scales of the pangolins, who we discussed a few episodes ago. And just like pangolin scales, rhino horns are believed to have curative properties - a concept that is completely unfounded and not backed by any scientific data. In fact, rhino horns are globally banned for trade to try to help alleviate the stress that desire for these horns puts on rhino populations. While the attention the rhino horn can garner may be negative, there’s also a flipside. Rhinos have been traditionally called unicorns, and, let’s be honest, who doesn’t want to be a unicorn? In fact, there’s legend of a giant beast roaming the plains of India and Africa who is called the Lord of the Desert. It’s believed the original myth of this divine creature developed through sightings of Indian rhinos. African rhinos live in grasslands and floodplains, while Asian species are found in swamps and rainforests. They all enjoy spending time in water and wallowing in mud-baths either to cool off or to help rid their skin of insects. They also stay cool by doing most of their eating during dusk, dawn, and the night. All rhinos are vegetarian, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re docile. African rhinos will use their horns during combat and for self defense and Asian species have tusks formed from incisors that they can utilize as weapons. Conflicts can arise over territory and mating rights. Most of the time, rhinos are solitary creatures, but during breeding season males and females will sometimes travel together. The females gestate for up to two years before giving birth to a single calf. The baby rhino will stick with its mother for its first two years of life and, depending on its sex, will be ready to have its own children within a decade. Rhinos can live to be up to fifty years old! For more facts on rhinos, check out the links in the description. Tell us what you think of rhinos in the comments! Give a thumbs up if you enjoyed this video, and thank you for watching Animal Fact Files.