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| Location: |
World |
| Subject: |
Physiology |
| Species: |
White Rhino |
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Rectal and skin temperatures were taken with thermistors. The rectal temperature was taken at a depth of not less than 22 cm, skin temperature was recorded from a thermistor strapped to the skin. The thermistor element was attached to a thin copper plate 25 mm in diameter, to give a secure area of contact.
The animals' rectal temperatures at sunrise were about 34.5?C, rising throughout the day if the animal grazed in the sun to 37.5?C by sunset, with the air temperature around 25?C and a relative humidity of 75%. When kept in the shade all day the rectal temperatures remained at 35.2?C. On returning from a wallow the rectal temperature was 35.4?C. The night ambient temprature during the investigation fell to 5?C for 5-6 hours, but 33.6?C was the lowest rectal temprature recorded.
The skin is well adapted for temprature regulation, having an epidermis about 1 mm thick, with a well-developed subjacent vascular bed. The dermis, about 2 cm or more thick, is dense, collagenous and relatively avascular, pierced at intervals by vessels to the epidermis. Beneath the epidermis lie large and numerous sweat glands with well-developed myo-epithelial cells. Under the thermal conditions prevailing no signs of sweating were observe with the quinizarin-sodium carbonate-strach method. After prolonged exertion sweat is however said to appear.
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Temperature regulation in the white rhinoceros
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