1.

The White Rhinoceros (Rhino)

The rhinoceros is a large, primitive looking mammal that in fact dates from the Miocene
era millions of years ago. In recent decades rhinos have been relentlessly hunted to the
point of near extinction. Since 1970 the world rhino population has declined by 90
percent, with five species remaining in the world today, all of which are endangered.
The white or square-lipped rhino is one of two rhino species in Africa. It in turn occurs
as two subspecies, the southern and the northern. The southern dwindled almost to
extinction in the early 20th century, but was protected on farms and reserves, enabling
it to increase enough to be reintroduced. The northern white rhino has recovered in
Democratic Republic of Congo from about 15 in 1984 to about 30 in the late 1990s. This
population has been threatened by political conflict and instability.

There are two kinds of rhino who live in Africa, first is Black Rhinoceros (Diceros
bicornis) and second is White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum). The white rhino's
name derives from the Dutch "weit," meaning wide, a reference to its wide, square
muzzle adapted for grazing. The white rhino, which is actually grey, has a pronounced
hump on the neck and a long face. While the black, or hooked-lipped rhino, along with
all other rhino species, is an odd-toed ungulate (three toes on each foot). It has a thick,
hairless, grey hide. Both the black and white rhino have two horns, the longer of which

sits

at

the

front

of

the

nose.

Rhino includes the bigest land mamals who live in africa besides elephant and other
mamals. Rhino can live up to 35 to 40 years. The size of the rhinoceros stands about 60
inches at the shoulder. And the weight of Black Rhino is 1 to 1 tons, while White
Rhino

is

over

tons.

Diet description of The black rhino is a browser, with a triangular-shaped upper lip
ending in a mobile grasping point. It eats a large variety of vegetation, including leaves,
buds and shoots of plants, bushes and trees. While the white rhino is a grazer feeding on
grasses.
Rhinos live in home ranges that sometimes overlap with each other. Feeding grounds,
water holes and wallows may be shared. The black rhino is usually solitary. The white
rhino tends to be much more gregarious. Rhinos are also rather ill-tempered and have
become more so in areas where they have been constantly disturbed. While their
eyesight is poor, which is why they will often charge without apparent reason, their
sense

of

smell

and

hearing

are

very

good.

They have an extended "vocabulary" of growls, grunts, squeaks, snorts and bellows.
When attacking, the rhino lowers its head, snorts, breaks into a gallop reaching speeds
of 30 miles an hour, and gores or strikes powerful blows with its horns. Still, for all its
bulk,

the

rhino

is

very

agile

and

can

quickly

turn

in

small

space.

The rhino has a symbiotic relationship with oxpeckers, also called tick birds. In Swahili
the tick bird is named "askari wa kifaru," meaning "the rhino's guard." The bird eats
ticks it finds on the rhino and noisily warns of danger. Although the birds also eat blood
from sores on the rhino's skin and thus obstruct healing, they are still tolerated

2. African Giraffes

African Giraffes are one of the world's tallest mammals. They are well known for their
long necks, long legs, and spotted patterns. African Giraffes have small "horns" or knobs
on top of their heads that grow to be about five inches long. These knobs are used to
protect

the

head

in

fights.

Male giraffes are larger than females. Males weigh between 2,400 and 3,000 pounds
and stand up to 19 feet tall! Female giraffes weigh between 1,600 and 2,600 pounds and
grow to be 16 feet tall. Giraffe populations are relatively stable. Healthy giraffes live
about

25

years

in

the

wild.

African Giraffes can be found in central, eastern and southern Africa. African
Giraffes live in the savannas of Africa, where they roam freely among the tall trees, arid
land,

dense

forests

and

open

plains.

Their long necks help giraffes eat leaves from tall trees, typically acacia trees. If they
need to, giraffes can go for several days without water. Instead of drinking, giraffes stay

hydrated

by

the

moisture

from

leaves.

African Giraffes are non-territorial, social animals. They travel in large herds that are
not organized in any way. Herds may consist of any combination of sexes or ages.
Female giraffes typically give birth to one calf after a fifteen-month gestation period.
During the first week of its life, the mother carefully guards her calf. Young giraffes are
very vulnerable and cannot defend themselves. While mothers feed, the young are kept
in

small

nursery

groups.

African Giraffes are hunted for their meat, coat and tails. The tail is prized for good luck
bracelets, fly whisks and string for sewing beads. The coat is used for shield coverings.
Habitat destruction and fragmentation are also threats to giraffe populations.

3. African Elephant

Elephant is the world's largest living land mammals which are best known for their huge
size,

unique

body

parts,

social

behavior,

and

longevity.

Two African elephant species are recognized: the larger and more widespread savanna
elephant (L. africana), pictured here, and the forest elephant (L. cyclotis), which is
smaller, has downward-pointed tusks, and smaller, rounder ears. Some genetic evidence
suggests there may be a third species, the west African elephant, intermediate to these
two. The animals' trunks, unique among living mammals, are versatile, enabling
elephants to manipulate tiny objects or tear down huge tree limbs. Wide, padded feet
enable elephants to walk quietly. Large, flappable ears help these huge animals to cool
off, although elephants often must retreat to the shade or water during the hottest part
of

the

day.

Male African elephants of the savanna species grow up to 25 feet long, stand up to 11 feet
tall and weigh up to 14,000 pounds. Males are usually larger than females.
African elephants live in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, although their range is now
broken into patches. Small numbers of forest elephants live in dense equatorial forests
of Central Africa from Zaire west to Mauritania, while savanna elephants are far more
widespread in drier woodlands and savannas. Savanna elephants are now most common
in Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and South Africa. The suspected
third

species

lives

in

both

savanna

and

forest

in

west

Africa.

African elephants live wherever they can find enough food and water with minimal
disturbance from people. Most of the continent's elephants live on savannas and in dry
woodlands. In some regions, they occur in desert areas; in others, they are found in
mountains. In Congo and other equatorial countries, forest elephants live in dense
tropical

rainforest.

Females and young males live in cohesive herds of about ten related adults and their
offspring. The matriarch, usually the oldest and largest female, sets the pace of the
group's activities. Males leave herds at puberty, around their 13th year, and travel alone
or in bachelor groups. Elephants travel widely in search of food. Movements vary
depending upon food availability. African elephants communicate with rumbles, growls,
bellows, and moans. Some of these varied, low-frequency sounds may travel a mile or
more.

4. Panda
Have you ever wathc the cartoon movie "Kung fu Panda"? But the Panda that would be
described below is not the Panda who can do Kung fu like in that movie. Pada is the icon
of the Chinese country becasue its unik. Here are the desciption about Panda.

Giant pandas are bear-like in shape with striking black and white markings. The "Giant"
Pandas are hardly "Giants". It would take about forty (40) giant pandas to weigh as
much as one elephant. Adult giant pandas have a length of 160 to 180 centimeters (5 1/4
to 6 feet). The weight of an adult male giant panda is normally between 80 and 125
kilograms (176 and 276 pounds) with males typically weighing about 10% to 20% more
than females -- about the same size as theAmerican black bear. However, unlike the
black bear, giant pandas do not hibernate and cannot walk on their hind legs.Giant
panda bears have a massive head, heavy body, short tail (approximately 5 inches),
rounded ears and plantigrade feet (i.e., both heel and toe make contact with the ground
when walking in a manner similar to humans). The throat of the giant panda has an
esophagus with a tough, horny lining to protect the bear from injury by bamboo
splinters. The stomach is similarly protected with its thick muscular wall linings.Giant
pandas have forepaws which are extremely flexible. They have an enlarged wrist bone
(the radial sesamoid) that works in the manner of an opposable thumb. This highly
functional thumb allows the panda to manipulate bamboo stems and leaves, with

dexterity and precision. The hind feet of the giant panda lacks the heel pad found in the
other

seven

bear

species.

The basic fur color of the giant panda is white with black eye patches, ears, legs, feet,
chest, and shoulders. White areas are different shades of white from pure white to
orangish or a light brown. Within its natural environment (the deep forest and, at upper
elevations, snow androck), its mottled coloringprovides camouflage. There is also
speculation that its striking color pattern may be a clear message to other pandas to stay
away since the giant panda is an extremely solitary animal.The fur of the giant panda is
thick and coarse. It consists of a coarse outer layer and a very dense, wooly-like
underfur. To the touch, the fur feels oily. This oily protective coating helps protects
pandas

from

the

cool

and

damp

climate

in

which

the

bear

lives.

Giant pandas generally move in a slow, determined manner. When startled, they will
move at a slow trot to escape danger. Giant pandas, with their sharp claws, are capable
of climbing trees very easily. Giant panda cubs are born weighing 3 to 5 ounces or about
4-5 grams each (1/900th of the mother's weight) The cubs are born blind and hairless.
At about 10 days the skin where the black hair will eventually grow turns gray.