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Herbivores Animals
Great One-Horned Rhinocerous (Rhinocerous unicornis)
Great One-Horned Rhinocerous (Rhinocerous unicornis)
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Great One-Horned Rhinocerous (Rhinocerous unicornis)
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Nepal rhino,
 *This image is copyright of its original author Source: https://www.welcomenepal.com/places-to-s...-park.html  (03-28-2018, 07:45 AM)Jimmy Wrote: Is it a good idea to mix two distinct races of rhinos Assam and Terai. Maybe in the near future they could possibly be identified as different subspecies altogether. At one time i remember Dudhwa tigers were criticized for having an accidental siberian tiger gene into them. Also, sometime ago there was a talk of bringing Assamese Wild Buffalo into chitwan to improve the gene pool of Nepalese wild buffalo with some for and some against this project. BTW 28 sqkm of continuous grassland in Dudhwa could be the biggest in terai, currently Shuklaphanta has 25 sqkm and is Nepal's biggest grassland-it's like mini africa with 2000+ herd of barahsingha running like waves in a sea of grass, but the reserve itself is not that big. Unlike the buffaloes, the rhinos aren't of two seperate subspecies. In which case, it's a good idea to exchange genes for enhancing virility!  (03-31-2018, 09:49 AM)Rishi Wrote:(03-28-2018, 07:45 AM)Jimmy Wrote: Is it a good idea to mix two distinct races of rhinos Assam and Terai. Maybe in the near future they could possibly be identified as different subspecies altogether. At one time i remember Dudhwa tigers were criticized for having an accidental siberian tiger gene into them. Also, sometime ago there was a talk of bringing Assamese Wild Buffalo into chitwan to improve the gene pool of Nepalese wild buffalo with some for and some against this project. BTW 28 sqkm of continuous grassland in Dudhwa could be the biggest in terai, currently Shuklaphanta has 25 sqkm and is Nepal's biggest grassland-it's like mini africa with 2000+ herd of barahsingha running like waves in a sea of grass, but the reserve itself is not that big. Yup, I understand that and it'll good both for Assam and Nepal but has it been confirmed that they are from the same subspecies, has anything been published regarding this matter? Most sites like iucn even treats them as the same but scientific analysis can change things pretty quick eg snowleopards from various parts are being considered as different subspecies. jst curious!!
Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam is not really famous but has some record sized horns.
©Rituraj Konwar  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author
Does anybody sees any significant differences between Indian rhino and Javan rhino beside size and weight? For me its not clear why they are considered different species but not only subspecies of one and same specie. Size differences between Bengal and Javan tigers are not bigger...
(08-06-2018, 10:00 AM)Wolverine Wrote: Does anybody sees any significant differences between Indian rhino and Javan rhino beside size and weight? For me its not clear why they are considered different species but not only subspecies of one and same specie. Size differences between Bengal and Javan tigers are not bigger... Their territories used to overlap in India & subspecies would have interbred & merged. Contemporary texts record two distinct species. They are very closely related though, closer than any other rhino species. Same genus, but molecular estimates suggest that the two species diverged from each other around 11.7 million years ago. (Source: Wikipedia) Weight difference is significant between Indian & Javan rhinos, with the maximum possible weight of males at 3500 & 2500 kgs respectively. Wiki says: "The Javan rhino is smaller than the Indian rhinoceros, and is close in size to the black rhinoceros."
I personally cant see any external differences in their general appearance... Indian rhino is a big Javan rhino and Javan rhino is small Indian rhino...
If Javanese survive they could be one day reintroduced in Sundarbans, both in West Bengal and in East Bengal (called "Bangladesh"). (08-06-2018, 11:09 AM)Wolverine Wrote: I personally cant see any external differences in their general appearance... Indian rhino is a big Javan rhino and Javan rhino is small Indian rhino...they look very simila, one variation that i immediately notice about them is that Javan rhino's skin fold that covers the scapula and shoulder region goes over and encircles entirely while on Indian rhino the same fold diminishes as it reaches the top here is an example with similarly built animals. 1st one is Javan and 2nd one is Indian  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author Due to this fold javan looks quite reptilian to me and seems as if it has a gaping cut when it stretches and move its skin (08-05-2018, 10:49 AM)Jimmy Wrote:(08-04-2018, 08:55 PM)Smilodon-Rex Wrote: Jimmy,could I copy your works? About that, i have a question. I've only read news articles regarding it & it sounds like the rhinos are wild ones from Chitwan! Are they? The rhinos are going to be released in Chimelong Safari Park in Guangzhou. It's a prudent move, but wouldn't captive animals suffice? That's wastage of good rhinos. Nepal did a noble thing when they gifted a pair of rhinos to Pakistan's Lal Suhanra National Park (650 sq.km) in 1983. The dry forest located on river Satluj is the largest remnant of semi-arid wilderness in northwestern part of the subcontinent where rhinos were once found! It is a unique habitat.  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author Unfortunately, that pair hadn't bred. I don't know if they even are still alive. But something like this should be done again. And who better than Nepal (not India definitely, too much bad blood between the two countries)! (08-06-2018, 02:37 PM).Rishi Wrote:(08-05-2018, 10:49 AM)Jimmy Wrote:(08-04-2018, 08:55 PM)Smilodon-Rex Wrote: Jimmy,could I copy your works? you know quite a bit @Rishi , yes the pair of rhinos have been given to Chimelong safari and another pair is waiting to be moved. I think more than anything it's a mutual diplomacy between neighboring countries. Chitwan is quite a bit stocked with rhinos , among the given rhinos one was swept away in flood, other three were from a heavy density areas-all wild. Few individual of rare species given elsewhere to boost species survival is a traditional practice which i think this is a follow up,as far as i am concerned it's a difficult process reintroducing 'kept' animals, offspring of which would have to cope with wild environment in the future and i don't believe this as a true conservation. On the other hand, I think it's more has to do with advertisting to Chinese citizens that there are rhinos in Nepal as India is synonymous with bengal tigers, and as a way of bringing tourist here. The fact that people living around Chitwan did not seem to mind the move proves this. Chinese tourist are already making there presence in Nepal even during off-season when Europen tourist dries up and resorts are all vacant and buisness plummets. The thing with Lal Suharna national park is that rhino provided from Chitwan (i think siblings) did not bred there, they had demanded another set of fresh rhinos in a hope that they will mate successfully but grovernment of Nepal decided they would rather move them within the country, Lal Suharna although historical rhino habitat seems too arid for rhinos that are habituated to the in Lush habitat of Chitwan, they may take a long time to adapt and breed. It also doen't look like a well protected park for something as prized as rhinoceros-magnet for poachers, i have seen footage of crowds mocking and misbehaving with rhinoceros there and some years ago i had read similar news so it doen't look promising even from the managament point of view. even the rhino looks quite tame and doesnot look like it belongs to the wild there.  *This image is copyright of its original author that coupled with the fact that even Inside Nepal there are future projects fro translocation of rare animals Gaur, wild buffalo, blackbuck and barahsingha which are doing well in there respective reserves. Even when translocation is carried out in a similar habitat there is no guarantee that they will survive, in Bardia around 70 to 80 translocated rhinos have died. 5 out of 15 wild buffaloes to Chitwan has died. So it's hard enough for them surviving in similar habitat let alone entirely different geography and now translocation to Bardia faces heavy opposition from Chitwan locals (like gir lions being pride of Gujarat alone) which was why now they will be translocated to Shuklaphanta- to swap with herds of barasingha and possibly to Koshi tappu to swap with wild buffaloes.
Rhino in Chitwan National Park.
https://cafebabel.com/en/article/ ©Bas Wallet  *This image is copyright of its original author
We talked a lot how tiger could immobilize a rhino, but maybe the opposite question - what could rhino do the tiger is interesting as well. Unlike African rhinos which always attack the enemy with their horns Indian rhino as long as I know use for fight mainly its 10 sm long sharp lower incissor teeth.
Amazingly enough raged Indian rhino attacks even riding elephants trying to bite them.... I am wondering: a.) How often (as %) Indian rhino use its horn for attack and how often its lower incisor teeth and does this animal ever use its horn? Then why this specie has a horn? In such a case African rhinos should probably be much more efficient and dangerous for the predators than Asiatic species. b.) How serious wounds can rhino cause to tiger with its lower incisor teeth - light, serious or deadly wounds? Probably it looks a bit funny when enraged mother start trying to defend its calf by biting tiger instead of poking him. (08-12-2018, 08:40 AM)Wolverine Wrote: We talked a lot how tiger could immobilize a rhino, but maybe the opposite question - what could rhino do the tiger is interesting as well. Unlike African rhinos which always attack the enemy with their horns Indian rhino as long as I know use for fight mainly its 10 sm long sharp lower incissor teeth. a)for me, biting is more subtle and painful, the opponent gets the message and withdras quickly, while in goring it is heavy prolonged fight until one hits the target (some vulnerable spots) and cripples the opponent for life, sadly we don't have much video to see a fighting between indian rhinos two equal rivals it may be like a tapir in fighting style, i think with using it's horn it uses it initially while head on then it opens it's mouth and tries to bite maybe it swithces between horn and teeth like zebras biting and kicking technique. b) here is one video i found on indian rhino that attacks a human in Chitwan- looks like the folks are filming and harassing a rhino when it's out of the jungle in buffer zone area, it is quite disturbing last few seconds (03-31-2018, 09:49 AM)Rishi Wrote:(03-28-2018, 07:45 AM)Jimmy Wrote: Is it a good idea to mix two distinct races of rhinos Assam and Terai. Maybe in the near future they could possibly be identified as different subspecies altogether. At one time i remember Dudhwa tigers were criticized for having an accidental siberian tiger gene into them. Also, sometime ago there was a talk of bringing Assamese Wild Buffalo into chitwan to improve the gene pool of Nepalese wild buffalo with some for and some against this project. BTW 28 sqkm of continuous grassland in Dudhwa could be the biggest in terai, currently Shuklaphanta has 25 sqkm and is Nepal's biggest grassland-it's like mini africa with 2000+ herd of barahsingha running like waves in a sea of grass, but the reserve itself is not that big. Just like tigers, they too should be same subspecies. Assam and terai are Indian. But arunachal and bhutan must be separate subspecies is what I feel as recent studies suggest.  |
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