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Rhinoceros

An Ancient Animal: With its massive body, tough platelike skin and one or two horns projecting from its snout, the rhinoceros appears never to have evolved from its prehistoric ancestry. The rhino takes up residence in the savannas of Africa and the grasslands of Asia. Most species are solitary and nocturnal browsers. Although they appear ferocious, rhinos are actually timid.

Protected But Poached: All five species are endangered mainly due to overhunting for the prized horn. China dispenses the ground up horn as a drug to reduce fevers, and in Yemen the horn is carved to create dagger handles. Although protected, habitat loss and poaching continue to contribute to its demise.

Super Smell: The rhinoceros' poor eyesight is made up for its acute hearing and sense of smell. In fact, its olfactory passages — responsible for smell — are larger than its entire brain.

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MORE RHINOCEROS

VIDEO: Surrounded by Rhinos!

SPECIES: Rhino Species Gallery

EXPERT: On Filming Rhinos (photos, audio)

INTERACTIVE: Anatomy of a Rhinoceros

QUIZ: Rinoceros Quiz

TOP 10: Top Animal Hissy Fit

VIDEO: Jeff Corwin Stalks a Rhino

SPECIES: More White Rhinoceros Facts

DID YOU KNOW?

Not a True Horn: A rhinoceros' horn is not a true horn. True horns are attached to the skull; a rhino's horn is made of keratin fibers (the main component of human hair and nails) and grows from the skin.

The Primitive Rhino: The Sumatran rhinoceros is the smallest and most primitive of the five rhino species, and the closest living relative to the woolly rhinoceros, which went extinct around 10,000 years ago.

Rhinos Through Time: The rhinoceros belongs to a once extremely diverse superfamily that includes aquatic rhinos, pig-sized rhinos and the giraffe-sized Indricotherium, one of the largest land mammals to ever live.