界: 動物界 Animalia
門: 脊索動物門 Chordata
綱: 哺乳綱 Mammalia
目: 奇蹄目 Perissodactyla
科: 犀科 Rhinocerotidae
屬: 白犀屬 Ceratotherium
種: 白犀 C. simum
學名 〔Ceratotherium simum〕
白犀又名方吻犀.體形僅次於大象.是5種犀牛中個頭最大的.
身長可達五公尺.重量在2.5—3噸之間.因此白犀牛有〔犀牛〕之王之稱.
目前野生白犀牛僅生長於烏干達和向北的尼羅河上游.僅存約4000隻.
白犀牛的鼻梁上.長著兩隻奇特的角.前角長而向後彎.一般長度在80—100公分之間,最長紀錄已超過1.5公尺.後角長度一般在50公分以下.
白犀牛又稱為〔寬嘴犀牛〕在草原上啃草.猶如割草機樣.乾淨俐落.是犀牛族中的大哥大.體重可重達2.5頓.
白犀牛是有名的大近視.藉著像雷達般可以左右轉動的大耳朵.探出周遭的動靜.稍有風吹草動.即引起強烈的肢體動作.
有人認為牠的脾氣不好.是因為不理解牠細膩的警戒心.
白犀牛對衛生環境極為重視.會在固定地點排放糞便.也會以撒尿及後腳踢散糞團作領域記號.警告其他族群犀牛不要擅入.
牠們排尿的架勢也很壯觀.不論公母均是砲口朝後.如消防水柱樣的噴出.讓身為人類的我們自嘆不如.
白犀牛僅產於非洲南部.東非一帶根本就沒有白犀牛.近十年前透過交換動物.肯亞自南非換來四隻白犀牛.安置在那庫魯湖畔.繁衍至今已超過三十隻以上了.
犀牛號稱陸地上第二大動物.成年公犀牛可大到2500-3000公斤.
恃其皮厚肉粗.獅群也拿牠沒輒.常見犀牛怡然自得四處遊蕩.唯一天敵就是我們人類.












































 |