rhinoceros
Japanese Name:
サイ
Romaji Name:
sai
Description
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A rhinoceros, often called a rhino, is a large, heavy animal with thick skin and one or two horns on its nose. Rhinos are herbivores, which means they eat plants. They usually live in Africa and Asia, in places like grasslands and forests.
History
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Rhinoceroses are large, herbivorous mammals known for their thick skin and one or two horns on their snouts. They have existed on Earth for over 50 million years, and were once much more widespread, even living in parts of Europe and Asia.
There are five main species of rhinoceros today:
White rhino (Africa)
Black rhino (Africa)
Indian rhino (also called the greater one-horned rhino)
Javan rhino
Sumatran rhino
The Indian, Javan, and Sumatran rhinos are native to Asia, including parts of India, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
Cultural and Historical Importance
In ancient times, rhinos were known in India, China, and Southeast Asia, and were sometimes depicted in art, mythology, and traditional medicine.
In Europe, rhinos were considered exotic animals. A famous example is the 1515 woodcut "Rhinoceros" by Albrecht Dürer, made from second-hand descriptions of a real rhino brought to Portugal from India.