Elephant and Rhino Comparison

The white rhinoceros and the Asian elephant possess many similar characteristics, including the way they look, yet also possess many differences such as the two continents they live on. There are five living species of rhino (black, white, Indian, Javan and Sumatran) and only two of the elephant (African and the Asian). All are in jeopardy of extinction with their slow rate of breeding, poaching and in the rhinoceroses, their territorial behavior.

Both of these beasts belong to the same kingdom (Animalia), phylum (Chordata), sub-phylum (Vertebrata) and class (Mammalia). Meaning they are both back-boned mammalian, animals. They both have hair and give birth to live young. White rhinos (Ceratotherium simum), and Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) are both grey in colour, with a barrel shaped body and thick set limbs which form a large round and flat foot with five toes. The head is long and in both the horns (rhinos)/ tusks (elephant) grow continuously. The elephant with one on either side of the face and the rhinoceros with one in front and a shorted one behind.

The white rhinoceros, not white in colour gets its name from the Afrikaans word ЎҐwiet,ÐŽ¦ meaning wide (referring to its jaw). Its manner of feeding has adapted to grazing short grass with a mouth similar to that of a business end of a lawnmower. The Asian elephant if not all elephants are very different in this area. They possess a trunk, perhaps their most famous feature (other than huge ears) which is a long fusion of the nose and upper lip. They use this for eating and manipulating food.

Asian elephants are very social animals while rhinoceroses, especially male ones tend to live more solitary. The white rhinoceros however is the least aggressive of all strains of rhinoceros and can become social, with females and young forming (non-family) assemblies. They occur in small groups consisting of one dominant or territorial bull, subordinate bulls, cows and offspring. Territorial bulls occupy clearly defined territories, which they defend against other bulls and although they tend to avoid one another they can carry out trials of strength such as horn clashing and vocal noises, to settle disputes and prove social positions.

Like the male rhinoceros the male elephants also live solitary. Female elephants live in ЎҐsocially complexÐŽ¦ family units that have and average of four to eight animals. These units contain related adults and their immature off spring led by the oldest and largest female, called the matriarch. As bulls reach 12-15 years they tend to go off and wander alone. This age is much younger in rhinos. At times males gather together to create small ЎҐbachelor groupsÐŽ¦. They do not bond with each other as the females do however.

The elephant does not appear to be the slightest bit territorial, only when competing for a femaleÐŽ¦s attention. The rhinoceros however have territories marked by spraying dung or urine or by common landscapes such as rivers of lakes. As said above there is one dominant male to which all others must behave inferior in a noisy and bodily way (head down).Once out on their own (at about 2 years) males remain inferior in society, until they reach maturity and a few years after, until they are able to beat the existing bull and inherit all the land and females.

For a certain period of the year both of these animals (females only) go through a period called estrus. This lets the males know she is fertile. This is the time males try to join female herds in elephants and the male tries to entice all females in the rhinoceros herds. Chemicals are released from her body and in her a male can detect. Happening only with elephants, the male also goes through a hormonal period called ЎҐmusthÐŽ¦. During musth, starting at about 25 years of age, the bull testosterone levels increase, becoming aggressive, unpredictable and competitive for females attention.

After either animal has tried to make contact it can take up to month before he will succeed. There is also no seasonal reproduction however elephants do migrate and often find the best spot on the route. Only male rhinos move habitats. The elephant has a cycle of 22 days with only one of these (the first day of estrus) being able to be impregnated. The rhino is similar however the window of opportunity is a week larger.

The elephant has no courtship behaviour other than getting close and succeeding in trials of strength. The wails of a courting male rhinoceros are called ЎҐhic-throbbingÐŽ¦ or even the malesÐŽ¦ love-song. Scientists donÐŽ¦t know why but they believe it has something in common with the deep abdominal groans of the Asian elephant which can be transmitted through the ground and felt by others.

In either species, if it is possible for the male to make body contact with the