 Reference Base  Enkele eerste aanteekeningen over de sporen der Javaansch... |
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Sody, H.J.V., 1936. Enkele eerste aanteekeningen over de sporen der Javaansche zoogdieren. Tectona 29: 215-262
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| Location: |
World |
| Subject: |
Morphology |
| Species: |
Javan Rhino |
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Size of a track of an old male: 28 x 29 cm (F.J. Appelman). The rather precious drawings which I had of the rhinoceros and Sumatran elephant were lost, and I can only give a single sketch of the spoor of this rhinoceros made in very soft soil. It would certainly be desirable if a visitor to Udjung Kulon could make another one sometimes. A camera would be most useful. Several dimesions of prints could then be collected. According to A.R.W. Kerkhoven, the rhino male is generally smaller than the female.
The exceptional size (and depth), and consequently the long preservation of the tracks on good soil, can give the impression that the animal is numerous in certain areas, while in reality maybe just a single animal has passed the area several tims. Therefore the measurement of the tracks is very important to distinguish different individuals.
The tracks are rarely as clear as one would expect from such a large animal. The condition of the soil is a deciding factor. On dry ground, which includes the rhino's paths in dry season, and where there are lots of dry leaves, one usually only finds incomplete prints of the three toenails, and sometimes even nothing. On stony ground and in long, dry grass, finding tracks is just about impossible and one has to search where the animal leaves the rocks.
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