Sumatran Rhinoceroses

The Sumatran Rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) is the only two-horned rhinoceros living in Asia. They are currently listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and are one of the rarest mammals found in the wild. They have been hunted to near extinction, especially for the horns which are believed to have medicinal properties and are also used for carving. There has also been a problem with their natural habitat being cleared to make way for industry and farms.

Sumatran Rhinoceroses are found in tropical rainforests in very isolated areas of Indonesia. They are most active at night, feeding in the morning and the evening, and spending most of the day resting in ponds and mud. They have been noted to migrate, spending cooler months in lower-lying valleys and spending the hotter parts of the year in the mountainous areas. Each rhinoceros will have a home area, often overlapping, that contains a salt lick, which appears to be essential to their survival. They are very territorial, and members of both sexes scrape the ground and use urine and feces to mark their territories. It is estimated that there are less than 300 currently living in the wild. Unfortunately, they are creatures of habit and frequently return to the same spots, and poachers easily take advantage of this.

The Sumatran Rhinoceros is distinctive in that they are covered with hair, unlike other members of the species. Their hair is long, shaggy, and reddish-brown with the hide underneath being a grayish color and plated like armor. Both sexes have two horns growing out from their noses, and the front horn is noticeably larger than the back horn. The males’ horns are somewhat larger than the females’. They can reach a full adult height of approximately 8-10 feet (2-3 meters) with a shoulder height of about 4 feet (135 cm). They do have a relatively long tail, measuring about 20 inches (50 cm). Very stocky animals, they can reach mature weights of approximately 1000 kg (2200 pounds).

Sumatran Rhinoceroses are herbivores and graze on many different kinds of plants. They seem to favor bamboo, figs and mangoes, but they will eat leaves, shrubs, shoots, bark, and vines.

Interesting Fact: Sumatran Rhinoceroses can consume up to 110 pounds (50 kg) of food every day.

Female Sumatran Rhinoceroses reach sexual maturity at around four years of age, the males at about seven years old. The females will breed every three to four years, and the mating ritual is violent, usually involving many males competing and fighting after which the victor will chase the female, marking his territory with excrement, and then fighting between the male and female before the actual mating begins. Pregnancies last about 400 days, and only one baby is usually born at a time. The mother rhinoceros will nurse for about 18 months, and the babies stay with their mothers for at least another year after that. Aside from a mother with her offspring, rhinoceroses are usually very solitary creatures, but they will gather when mating and when resting near water holes.