White Rhinos on the Terai of Nepal

© Jeff Foott / WWF-Canon

Greater One-Horned Rhino

• Facts
• Why They Matter
• Threats
• What WWF is Doing
• How You Can Help

ADOPT A GREATER ONE-HORNED RHINO

FACTS

• VUSTATUS
  Vulnerable
• aPOPULATION
  3,500+ individuals
• bSCIENTIFIC NAME
  Rhinoceros unicornis
• cHEIGHT
  5.75 - 6.5 feet
• dWEIGHT
  4,000-6,000 pounds
• CLENGTH
  10- 12.5 feet
• eHABITATS
  Tropical and Subtropical Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands

  (Click for larger view)

The greater one-horned rhino (or “Indian rhino”) is the largest of the rhino species. Once widespread across the entire northern part of the Indian sub-continent, rhino populations plummeted as they were hunted for sport or killed as agricultural pests. This pushed the species very close to extinction and by the start of the 20th century, around 200 wild greater one-horned rhinos remained.

The recovery of the greater one-horned rhino is among the greatest conservation success stories in Asia. Thanks to strict protection and management from Indian and Nepalese wildlife authorities, the greater one-horned rhino was brought back from the brink. Today populations have increased to around 3,500 rhinos in northeastern India and the Terai grasslands of Nepal.

The greater one-horned rhino is identified by a single black horn about 8-25 inches long and a grey-brown hide with skin folds, which gives it an armor-plated appearance. The species is solitary, except when adult males or rhinos nearing adulthood gather at wallows or to graze. Males have loosely defined home ranges that are not well defended and often overlap. They primarily graze, with a diet consisting almost entirely of grasses as well as leaves, branches of shrubs and trees, fruit, and aquatic plants.

• F

• PLACES
  Eastern Himalayas
• HABITATS
  Forest Habitat, Grasslands, De
• end quote from:
• https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/greater-one-horned-rhino

In 1986 I was with my family, my children were 10, 12 and 14 and we went to the Terai to Chitwan National Park on the Terai of Nepal and were chased by white rhinos. I was sad to hear there was only one male White Rhino left of the many many that were there in 1986.

Though we almost died from being chased by one of the rhinos we survived (my wife and I) and we never did get the photo we wanted because the Rhino first chased her up a tree and then chased me up a tree and then she had the camera while he was trying to kill me by ramming the tree I was in. Luckily the tree was about 1 foot or more in diameter so he couldn't knock the whole tree down. But, it was like being in an earthquake while I was in the tree. But, my wife had the camera and I didn't so I didn't get any photos of this amazing near death experience for my wife and I. But, at least we survived to tell the tale.