Rhinoceroses are herbivores , mainly distributed in Africa and Southeast Asia . They are the largest odd-toed ungulates in the world and the second largest land animal after the elephant. All rhinoceroses are generally short-legged and stocky. They are stout and clumsy, measuring 2.2-4.5 meters in length, 1.2-2 meters in shoulder height, and weighing 2.8-3 tons. Due to the ornamental and medicinal value of their horns, they have been heavily hunted, leading to the endangerment of many rhinoceros populations, some even becoming extinct. Currently, all but the white rhinoceros ( one of the four genera and five species ) are critically endangered. The Javan rhinoceros has the smallest population, with approximately 50 individuals remaining; the black rhinoceros has only about 10,000 to 30,000 individuals . Let's learn more about them.
1. Javan rhinoceros
The Javan rhinoceros is a species of rhinoceros belonging to the genus Rhinoceros in the family Rhinocerotidae. It measures 2.5-3.5 meters in length, stands about 1.6 meters tall at the shoulder, and weighs an average of 1.5 tons, with the largest individuals reaching 2.3 tons. The Javan rhinoceros is one of the world's most endangered large mammals. Due to long-term overhunting, the global population was estimated at only 72 individuals as of 2019. Currently, the Javan rhinoceros is only found in Ujung Kulong National Park on the island of Java, and also in Cat Tien National Park in Vietnam (as a Vietnamese subspecies), though its numbers are extremely small. Due to its endangered status, the Javan rhinoceros is listed as Critically Endangered (CR) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
2. Sumatran rhinoceros
The Sumatran rhinoceros is the smallest of the five extant rhinoceros species and the only species in the genus *Rhinoceros* within the family Rhinocerotidae. It measures approximately 2.4-3.15 meters in length and weighs between 0.55 and 1.1 tons, with an average weight of only 0.7 tons, although the largest individuals can reach 1.1 tons. In Southeast Asia, the Sumatran rhinoceros once had a large population, but today only about 200 individuals remain in the wild, or even fewer. Its decline is attributed to severe hunting and habitat loss.
3. Black Rhinoceros
The black rhinoceros is the only species in the genus *Rhinoceros* of the family Rhinocerotidae. It measures approximately 3-3.75 meters in length, 1.4-1.8 meters in shoulder height, has a tail length of about 70 centimeters, and weighs approximately 0.8-1.4 tons. Among rhinoceroses, the black rhinoceros has a relatively wide distribution, mainly found in parts of East and Central Africa, extending north to northeastern Sudan and west to northeastern Nigeria. The main threats to the black rhinoceros are poaching and habitat loss. People hunt black rhinoceroses primarily for their valuable horns. According to data from 2003, the black rhinoceros population was estimated at only about 3,610 individuals, making it a critically endangered species.
4. Indian Rhinoceros
The Indian rhinoceros is one of the largest single-horned rhinoceroses in the world, measuring approximately 2.1-4.2 meters in body length, 60-75 centimeters in tail length, 1.1-2 meters in shoulder height, and weighing between 2 and 4 tons. It has only one horn, about 60 centimeters long, on its nose, and is also one of the tallest rhinoceros species on average. The Indian rhinoceros is an endangered and rare protected animal, with approximately 3,200 individuals remaining worldwide. Although small in number, it remains the most numerous rhinoceros species in Asia. They are mainly distributed in Nepal, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Bhutan.
5. White rhinoceros
The white rhinoceros, also known as the square-snouted rhinoceros, is one of the largest living rhinoceroses . It is divided into two subspecies: the northern white rhinoceros and the southern white rhinoceros , found in the grasslands of central and southern Africa, respectively. The white rhinoceros is the fourth largest land animal, after three species of elephants , and comparable in size to the Indian rhinoceros. The northern white rhinoceros weighs 1.4–1.6 tons, and the southern white rhinoceros weighs 1.5–2.4 tons. Its horn can reach 1.5 meters in length. On March 19, 2018, the last known male northern white rhinoceros, " Sudan ," died. Currently, only two female northern white rhinoceroses, "Najin" and "Fatu," are confirmed to be alive and are kept in captivity in the Opejeta Conservancy in Kenya . The southern white rhinoceros, with a population of approximately 18,000, is the most numerous rhinoceros species.
This list of the five major rhinoceros species comprehensively reviews all existing rhinoceros species in the world, based on their endangered status and rarity, combined with relevant online rankings. This list is for reference only, and the data is current as of January 20, 2024. (Important Notice: Hunting, killing, consuming, or trading wild animals and their products are all illegal and criminal acts! Wild animals belong to nature. For the sake of the ecological environment and your health, please refuse to buy, keep, or consume wild animals!)
