Rhinoceros habitats vary significantly by species, reflecting diverse ecological preferences. Some species thrive in dense rainforests, adapted to humid, vegetated landscapes. Conversely, others inhabit vastly different biomes, such as open grasslands and savannas. This diversity highlights the broad range of ecological niches rhinos occupy.
Rhino Species Found in Rainforests
Two of the five extant rhinoceros species are primarily found in rainforest environments: the Javan rhinoceros (_Rhinoceros sondaicus_) and the Sumatran rhinoceros (_Dicerorhinus sumatrensis_).
The Javan rhino (_Rhinoceros sondaicus_), one of the rarest mammals, historically inhabited dense lowland rainforests and floodplains. Today, its remaining population is found exclusively in Ujung Kulon National Park, Indonesia, within lowland rainforests with abundant rivers and mud wallows. They use their horns to enlarge mud pits, crucial for cooling and protecting their skin from insects and disease. As browsers, they prefer softer vegetation and use a prehensile upper lip to grasp and strip leaves and bark.
The Sumatran rhinoceros (_Dicerorhinus sumatrensis_), the smallest living rhino, also inhabits dense tropical rainforests, including montane forests. Historically widespread across Southeast Asia, current populations are isolated within national parks in Malaysia and Indonesia, on Sumatra and Borneo. They possess a thick coat of reddish-brown hair, which, unlike other rhinos, provides insulation and protection. Agile, they navigate hilly terrain, using their horns to break through dense vegetation. Sumatran rhinos are browsers, feeding on leaves, twigs, bark, and fruit. They rely on acute senses of smell and hearing to navigate their secluded forest habitats.
Rhino Species and Their Non-Rainforest Habitats
The three other rhinoceros species—white (_Ceratotherium simum_), black (_Diceros bicornis_), and Indian (_Rhinoceros unicornis_)—inhabit diverse non-rainforest environments.
White rhinos are predominantly found in the open savannas and grasslands of Africa. As grazers, their wide, square-shaped mouths are adapted for cropping short turf. They often wallow in mud and waterholes to regulate body temperature and protect their skin from sun and insects.
Black rhinos, also native to Africa, occupy varied habitats including open plains, thorn scrub, savannas, thickets, dry forests, and mountain forests at high altitudes. Unlike white rhinos, black rhinos are browsers, using their pointed, prehensile upper lip to grasp and strip leaves, twigs, and bark. Their distribution covers scattered pockets across eastern and southern Africa, often within protected areas. Both African species have thick skin to protect against thorny vegetation and rely on acute smell and hearing due to poor eyesight.
The Indian rhinoceros (_Rhinoceros unicornis_) is found in riverine (floodplain) grasslands and adjacent woodlands of northern India and southern Nepal. These habitats are characterized by tall grasses and wetlands. Indian rhinos are grazers, primarily consuming grasses, aquatic plants, twigs, and leaves. They are semi-aquatic, spending much of their day wallowing in water and even feeding underwater, an adaptation to their wetland environment. This species thrives in areas with abundant water sources, such as floodplains and swamps.