However, as their hearing and sense of smell are very acute, do not rely on this as a means of escaping notice. It has been said that if in the vicinity of a rhino, by crouching and staying still the rhinoceros will pass by, not realising anything was near. A rhinoceros' eyesight is also very poor. Its nasal passages that is, not its brain. The rhinoceros is also remarkable for possessing nasal passages that are larger than its brain 1, also being much thicker than in similar-sized creatures. It is more efficient than that of the ruminants, and so means they can feed in areas with less nutritious food than many other animals. This form of digestion uses bacteria in the caecum and colon to break down food. Another feature they share with the horse is that, unlike ruminants, they have what is known as hind-gut fermentation.
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And in common with perissodactyles, they have mesaxonic feet, meaning that the central toe takes the bulk of the animal's weight, with the other toes being large and splayed to disperse the bulk. The rhinoceros is of the family Rhinocerotidae, and is an odd-toed ungulate, meaning having hooves, or perissodactyla. Often associated with its heavyweight compatriots, the elephant and the hippopotamus, the rhinoceros is actually more closely related to the horse, but under no circumstances should you attempt to saddle one. This motley collection of odd-toed ungulates once formed a vast family that included the largest land mammal ever to walk, or possibly stomp, the Earth.
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It is probably, after the elephant, one of the most persecuted and possibly the world's most endangered, large land-dwelling mammal, being hunted to near extinction by the vain and the sexually desperate. It is also recognised by its armour plate-like hide. The Rhinoceros is one of the most distinguishable of all animals due to its size and, more significantly, the horn (or horns) that project from above its nose. He is looking for his needle still so he can make a better coat. Tragically, he thought he might have swallowed the needle and this is why he can often be seen kicking his dung about. This is why his coat is so badly fitting. But the Rhino, being a bit clumsy, lost his needle and had to use a thorn instead. To this effect he gave them all a needle to sow them with.
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Updated 24 June, 2012 Once upon a time when God made all the animals he had them all make their own skins.