 Reference Base  Report: Population and Habitat Viability Assessment (PHVA... |
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| Location: |
World |
| Subject: |
Ecology - Food |
| Species: |
Indian Rhino |
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Working Group of P. Lahan, D.K. Ghosh, K.S. Varmah, B.S. Bonal, S.S. Bist. The Indian Rhino with the capacity of extensive lower tract fermentation and with its typical setting of teeth pattern, mouth anatomy and volume of intake, is categorized under 'bulk and roughage feeder'. With aditional rumen/reticulum volume of 53% and 22% more than other ruminants, it requires a microbial synthesis of food intake for almost 20 hours and a caecum digestion for around 3 hours. Reciprocal to this is a very fixed energy output enabling the animal to make limited movement in its foraging efforts and requiring a major time slot for assimilation of food. The Indian Rhino is basically a grazer, the short grassland being its prominent food habitat. Due to adverse shrinking in habitat, the animal is forced to take a considerable amount of browse material.
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