Sumatran RhinocerosThe Sumatran, a.k.a. the hairy, rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) is probably the most endangered of all rhinoceros species. Numbers have declined by 50% due to poaching over the last 10 years. Fewer than 300 Sumatran rhino survive in very small and highly fragmented populations in Southeast Asia with Indonesia and Malaysia being the only significant range states. Furthermore, there is no indication that the situation is showing any signs of stabilizing.
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Scientific and Common Names
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Dicerorhinus sumatrensis- Dicerorhinus: from the Greek di, meaning "two"; cero, meaning "horn" and rhinus, meaning "nose" sumatrensis: referring to Sumatra (with the Latin -ensis, meaning locality). COMMON NAMES: Sumatran rhinoceros, Asian two-horned rhinoceros (the only two-horned rhino in the Asian region), Hairy rhinoceros (refers to the long, shaggy hair found on the species in contrast to the other, hairless species). |
Numbers
There is an unknown number of Sumatran rhinos in the wikd and four in captivity, 3 at the Cincinnati Zoo and one in the Port Lympne Zoo. |
Physical Description and Habitat
Reddish-brown coat, sparsely covered with long hair, fringed ears, and two horns. Sumatran rhinos live in tropical rainforest and mountain moss forest, in all of Southeast Asia from Assam though Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo. Sumatran rhinos weigh 1,300 to 1,700 pounds and are about 3 to 5 feet tall at the shoulder. They also have a 10 to 31 inch long horn. |
