Chittagong rhinoceros, Northern hairy rhinoceros
The Northern Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis lasiotis) was the most widespread subspecies of Sumatran rhinoceros. It was also the only known subspecies native to mainland Asia. While it has been officially declared extinct on multiple occasions in the early 20th century, it has been reported that small populations might still exist in the wild, such as in Burma and the Malaysian Peninsula, though it is highly doubtful. As of 2008, it is considered "Critically Endangered" by IUCN.
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NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
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HerbivoreA herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example, foliage, for the main component of its die...
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FolivoreIn zoology, a folivore is a herbivore that specializes in eating leaves. Mature leaves contain a high proportion of hard-to-digest cellulose, less ...
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LignivoreVi
ViviparousAmong animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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CursorialA cursorial organism is one that is adapted specifically to run. An animal can be considered cursorial if it has the ability to run fast (e.g. chee...
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CongregatoryCongregatory animals tend to gather in large numbers in specific areas as breeding colonies, for feeding, or for resting.
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TerritorialA territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
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BrowsingBrowsing is a type of herbivory in which an herbivore (or, more narrowly defined, a folivore) feeds on leaves, soft shoots, or fruits of high-growi...
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PolygynyPolygyny is a mating system in which one male lives and mates with multiple females but each female only mates with a single male.
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SolitaryNo
Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withThe Northern Sumatran rhinoceros is the largest subspecies. It has longer hair on the ears and longer horns. However, it may have less hair on the body than the Western Sumatran rhinoceros. Sumatran rhinos have two horns. The larger is the nasal horn, typically only 15-25 cm (5.9-9.8 in), though the longest recorded specimen was much longer at 81 cm (32 in). The posterior horn is much smaller, usually less than 10 cm (3.9 in) long, and often little more than a knob. The larger nasal horn is also known as the anterior horn; the smaller posterior horn is known as the frontal horn. The horns are dark grey or black in color. The males have larger horns than the females.
Northern Sumatran rhinoceroses ranged as far as from the Indochinese peninsula, eastern India, the eastern Himalayas of Bhutan, and Bangladesh to Inner Mongolia in northern China. Presently it is claimed that they persist at the Tamanthi Wildlife Sanctuary of Myanmar. Unconfirmed reports suggest a small population of Northern Sumatran rhinoceroses may still survive in Myanmar, but the political situation in the country has prevented verification. It is also possible these rhinoceroses still live in Taman Negara National Park from Peninsular Malaysia, though the survival of the Peninsular Malaysia population is highly doubtful. Northern Sumatran rhinoceroses lived in tropical rainforests, swamps, cloud forests, jungles, and grasslands. They also inhabited hilly areas, near rivers, steep upper valleys, and mountains.
Little is known about the behavior of Northern Sumatran rhinoceroses. Sumatran rhinos generally are solitary creatures except for pairing before mating and during offspring rearing. They are territorial and have home ranges. The ranges of females appear to be spaced apart; males' ranges often overlap. They mark their territories by scraping soil with their feet, bending saplings into distinctive patterns, and leaving excrement. Sumatran rhinos are usually most active when eating, at dawn, and just after dusk. During the day, they wallow in mud baths to cool down and rest. In the rainy season, they move to higher elevations; in the cooler months, they return to lower areas in their range. When mud holes are unavailable, the rhino will deepen puddles with its feet and horns. The wallowing behavior helps the rhino maintain its body temperature and protect its skin from ectoparasites and other insects. Sumatran rhinoceroses are fast and agile; they climb mountains easily and comfortably traverse steep slopes and riverbanks. They are also the most vocal of the rhinoceros species. They make three distinct noises: eeps, whales, and whistle-blows.
Northern Sumatran rhinos are herbivores (folivores, lignivores). Their diet consists of young saplings, leaves, twigs, and shoots. They also visit salt licks, very important to the nutrition of rhinos. These licks can be small hot springs, seepages of salty water, or mud volcanoes.
Information about reproductive habits of this subspecies is scarce. Generally, Sumatran rhinos are polygynous meaning that one male mates with more than one female during the breeding season. After the gestation period of around 15-16 months, the female gives birth to a single calf. The calf, which typically weighs 40–60 kg (88–132 lb), is weaned after about 15 months and stays with its mother for the first 2 to 3 years of its life. Young females become reproductively mature at the age of 6 to 7 years, while males start to breed when they are about 10 years old.
Hunting has been a primary factor in the decline of the Sumatran rhinos. Their horn and other body parts have been used for centuries in traditional Asian medicine to treat fevers, strokes, and other ailments. Hunting is now illegal, but poaching continues, with these animals still being killed for their horns. The other main threat is the loss of habitat due to logging and the conversion of land for other uses. As suitable habitats become fewer, rhino populations are forced into small, fragmented subpopulations, possibly too small to form a viable group. Left in the remaining pockets of forest, these animals become even more vulnerable to disease, poaching, and environmental disasters.
According to the IUCN Red List, the Northern Sumatran rhino is unknown but possibly a small number of individuals survive in Myanmar. Currently, this subspecies is classified as Critically Endangered (CR) on the IUCN Red List.
