Today is #WorldRhinoDay!! What does that mean? Today, conservation minded people around the globe would like everyone to take note of what incredible animals Rhinos are and how we can help! There are currently 5 species of Rhino found in the world today, Black, White, Indian, Sumatran and Javan all of which are in need of conservation due to habitat loss and poaching pressures for their horns. With the opening of our #AfricanAdventureFCZ, we will be bringing White Rhinoceros back to Fresno! If one was to perform a side-by-side comparison of a White and Black Rhino you may be surprised to find little difference in the color of their skin. It is believed to be an error in translation that made the gray rhino “White.” Because White Rhino are grazers, eating only the freshest, smallest shoots of grass, they have a wide lip which is perfect for this task. Black Rhino are almost exclusively browsers with a narrow lip designed to eat leaves off of shrubs and trees. Early Dutch explorers to Africa referred to the grazing Rhinos as having “wijd” lips, pronounced v-ite, and English speakers adopted the word white. Black, White, Indian, Sumatran, or Javan, rhinos are unique animals worthy of our appreciation and protection on World Rhino Day! Remember, no one in the world needs a rhino horn….but a rhino! #TeamRhino #WorldRhinoDay Resources; rhinos.org savetherhinos.org
Posted on: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 19:56:00 +0000