Thursday, June 3, 2010

Angry Lepord

Indian Rhino

Indian Rhino

About Indian Rhino
Indian RhinoThe Indian rhinoceros ("rhino") has one horn, and it has skin with loose folds which make it appear armored. These characteristics distinguish it from the African (black and white) rhinos. It weighs 1600 (female) - 2200 (male) kg (3500 - 4800 lb). The Indian rhino has been recorded from a number of habitats, including marshy lowland and reedbeds; tall grass or bush with patches of savanna and occasional streams and swamps; thick tree and scrub riverine forest; and dry, mixed forest. The Indian rhino mainly eats grass, reeds and twigs, feeding mostly in the morning and evening. It is usually solitary and spends long periods lying in water and wallowing in mud.

Habitat
The Indian rhino formerly occurred from the foothills of the Hindu Kush in Pakistan, across the sub-Himalayan region, to the India-Myanmar border on the eastern edge of the Brahmaputra watershed. By the late 19th century, the Indian rhino had been eliminated from everywhere except the Chitwan Valley (Nepal), lowland Bhutan, the Teesta Valley (west Bengal, India) and the Brahmaputra Valley (Assam, India). For most of the 20th century, known populations have been concentrated in southern Nepal and northeastern India.

Type of Rhinos in India
There are five kinds of Rhinos found in the world -
» Indian Rhino
» White Rhino
» Black Rhino
» Javan Rhino
» Sumatran Rhino

The white and black Rhinos are live in Africa, while Indian, Javan and Sumatran are Asian Rhinos, found in Noth Pakistan, Assam in India, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. Physical Characteristics of Indian Rhino
The usual weight of an Indian Rhino is 2,000 kg. The one way to distinguish between a an Indian Rhino and an African Rhino is the single horn. Both white and black African Rhinos have two horns. Another distinguishing feature of the Indian Rhinoceros is its skin, which is knobbly and falls into deep folds at its joints, giving a look like the Rhino is wearing a coat of armour.

All the Rhinos are vegetarian and Indian Rhinos mostly eat grass, fruits, leaves and crops. Their well developed upper lip helps them to eat out tall elephant grasses, which they like the best. It also helps them to pull out aquatic plants by the roots. Indian Rhinos usually prefer to roam around in the morning and evening hours to avoid the heat of the day and live for about 40 years.
History of Indian Rhinos
The Indian rhino has occurred in the sub-Himalayan region in historic times, the western limit of its range moving eastward from the foothills of the Hindu Kush west of Peshawar (Pakistan) in the early 1500's to the Nepal terai in the 20th century. The eastern limit of its historic range is uncertain. Some authors believe that it occurred in Cambodia, Laos,Thailand and Vietnam. Others believe that it never occurred east of the India-Myanmar border, and that reports from east of that border were mistaken, caused by confusing the Indian rhino with the Javan rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus) or the Sumatran rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis).

Distribution
By the late 19th century, extensive land clearing and hunting eliminated the Indian rhino from everywhere except the Chitwan Valley (Nepal), lowland Bhutan, the Teesta Valley (west Bengal, India) and the Brahmaputra Valley (Assam, India). Its population in India probably fell to its lowest level about 1904 (Gee 1958). For most of the 20th century, known populations have been concentrated in southern Nepal and northeastern India.

Ecology
The Indian rhino is a primarily a grazer (although occasionally consuming some browse).
When not grazing on land, immerses itself in water, where it also grazes on aquatic grass-like plants. Hence, this species is the most amphibious of the living rhino.

Indian Lion

Indian Lion

About 
LionThe Asiatic Lion is rated the most endangered large carnivore globally. And India has the distinction of being the last earthly refuge of the Asiatic lion. The Gir National Park and Lion Sanctuary is the one and only remaining habitat of this proud and majestic species.

An average Asiatic Lion, also known as the Indian Lion, is generally 2.5 m to 2.9 m tall, and weighs between 200 to 250 kg. It has a majestic mane and a big tail tuft. Indian Lions move about in prides, comprising 2-3 male adults and more lionesses and cubs. They communicate with each other with a variety of grunts, meows, growls, moans and roars, and while female cubs stay with the pride, the males leave after they are three years old.

The Asiatic Lions are lazy and indolent creatures that prey on the Sambar, Chital, Nilgai, Wild Pig, and occasionally on goats and camels. Lion males often live in pairs that last a lifetime. However, in the pride it is the females who go out hunting in packs and bring back prey, which is first devoured by the male, and only then by the rest of the pack. In the daytime, they live close to water holes and rest in the shade. Hunting is relegated to dusk, or at night.

The Asiatic lion once ranged from Asia Minor and Arabia through Persia to India. In fact, at the turn of the century, Gir was a splendid mixed, deciduous forest of teak, acacia, zizyphas and banyan, sprawled over some 3,386 sq. km. Lions would have thrived there, were it not for their enemies-hunters and a devastating famine that all but wrapped up the prey species. At one time the estimated number of lions went down to as low as thirty. However, due to the efforts of the authorities and the Gir National Park, the Asiatic lion has been narrowly saved from extinction. Though it is still a highly endangered species, statistics show that if efforts are kept up, their numbers might begin to improve.

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