Happy Friday Everybody! I am glad you all made it through another week of Wild Facts.  Today is going to be a great day since we will be discussing one of the most endangered rhino’s out there, the Sumatran Rhinoceros.  We can’t call it the most endangered rhino since it actually shares this title with their regional cousin, the Java Rhinoceros.  If we want to go and take a quick peak at the Sumatran Rhinoceros, we need to head over to the mountain forests of Malaysia, Indonesia and we might even catch a glimpse of them in Myanmar.  So what are we are waiting for?  Let’s get started!

Not only is the Sumatran Rhino one of the most endangered but it is also the smallest species of rhinoceros.  Believe it or not they only weigh 800 kg (1700 lbs) and can reach a length of 3.5 m (10′).  Since when did we start considering a 1700 lb animal small?  This particular rhino is a solitary creature that spends their days eating fruits, leaves and other vegetation.  Although they are solitary animals they still leave a scent trail behind them through the forest so they are able to find each other.  I wonder if this is a safety precaution like leaving a sticky note for your parents.  “Mom, I am going out to play in the mountains now, the location is on the sticky note on the fridge”.  Okay, I am done being silly for now.  The trails most likely help them find each other during mating season but I still like my first suggestion better.

You may have noticed a difference between the Sumatran Rhino and its African and Asian cousins.  Most notably are the patches of stiff, reddish hair which can be found all over their body. This hair helps keep the mud stuck onto their body.  Why in the world would they want to be muddy?  Maybe they are just practicing for their Tide commercial auditions?  Actually, this mud helps keep them cool on the hot summer days and it protects them from nasty insects.  How about that, two more benefits to splurging on a mud bath every now and again.

Sumatran Rhinoceros Fast Fact – Like other rhino’s the Sumatran has relatively poor eyesight so they rely heavily on their keen sense of hearing and smell. If you ever want to sneak up on this rhino you better be very quiet and have some sort of scent blocker on.

One more week of Wild Facts is done.  I will be away all next week so you know what that means.  Next week will be THEME WEEK!  I don’t have any ideas yet so if you have a suggestion for a theme then please leave it in the comments below.  Have a great weekend, everyone!