Indian Rhinoceros
Rhinoceros unicornis
🦏
Chordata
Mammalia
Perissodactyla
Rhinoceratoidea
Rhinocerotidae
Rhinoceros unicornis
The Armored Giant of the Floodplains, the Indian Rhinoceros is a powerful grazer of the South Asian grasslands, easily recognized by its thick, folded hide and single horn. Once found from Pakistan to Myanmar, Rhinoceros unicornis now survives mainly in India and Nepal. Revered in ancient art yet relentlessly hunted for its horn, this species has walked beside humans since the dawn of civilization.
Description
Indian Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) — Also known as the Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros, this species is distinguished by its massive body, single black horn (up to 60 cm long), and thick, armor-like skin folds. It inhabits riverine grasslands and swamps, favoring areas near water. Adults measure 3.2–4 meters in length, stand 1.7–2 meters at the shoulder, and weigh 1,800–2,700 kilograms. Despite their bulk, they can charge at 40 km/h and are excellent swimmers. Their hide is divided by deep folds that give the appearance of plate armor, an adaptation for protection and thermoregulation.
Quick Facts
Max Mass
Shoulder Height
Standing Height
Length
Diet
Trophic Level
1600
1.8
2.7
4
kg
m
m
m
Mixed Feeder
Herbivores – Browsers
Hunt History
Humans have interacted with Rhinoceros unicornis since prehistoric times. Paleolithic hunters in the Indian subcontinent likely hunted them for meat and hide. Later, during the Vedic and Mughal eras, Indian rhinos were hunted by nobility for sport and prestige. Rhino horn was prized in traditional medicine and as a status symbol across Asia.
Earliest Archaeological Evidence of Human Predation:
Belan Valley, India (~12,000 BP) — Stone tools and butchered R. unicornis remains from late Pleistocene hunter-gatherer sites.
Siwalik Hills, Pakistan (~10,000 BP) — Fossil rhino bones with cut marks indicating human processing.
Ganga Basin Sites, India (~8,000 BP) — Rhino remains associated with early Neolithic settlements, possibly reflecting hunting or ritual use.
Time & Range
Extinction Status
Regionally Extinct
Extinction Date
Temporal Range
Region
10000
BP
Late Pleistocene
Asia
Wiki Link
Fat Analysis
Fatness Profile:
Medium
Fat %
6
Est. Renderable Fat
96
kg
Targeted Organs
Hump/back & visceral fat
Adipose Depots
Subcutaneous back/shoulder, visceral; marrow
Preferred Cuts
Dorsal hump fat & marrow
Hunt Difficulty (x/5)
5