Woolly Rhinoceros

"Best way to tell if someone is an imbecile is if they think a rhino horn has healing properties." - Amasar Boal

Written by: jester2b

Cover Art by: Rafael Sewa

Hardened Survivor

As time continues is unending march, many species have come and gone on Nostrina. The world is constantly changing, forcing life to adapt to perish in the new world. One such example of a survivor of many eras is the Woolly Rhinoceros, an ancient animal that has survived many eras of the world with relatively little change

Morphology

The Woolly Rhino is similar to its warmer climate cousins in many facets, though with some distinct differences. As the name suggests, the Woolly Rhino has a long fur coat with a reddish-brown and a thick undercoat that lay under a layer of long, coarse guard hair thickest on the withers and neck. Shorter hair covered the limbs, keeping snow from attaching. The average size of an adult was up to 2m tall at the shoulder and 4.6m in length, about the same size as the Southern White Rhinoceros. The front horn of a Woolly Rhino is, on average, around 1 meter long and points forward more than that of their southern cousins. Despite their size, Woolly Rhinos are able to outrun any man or elf in a straight line when charging, though they aren't able to turn very quickly.

Habitat

The woolly rhinoceros is found mainly in lowlands, plateaus, and river valleys, with dry to arid climates, migrating to higher elevations in favorable climate phases. It avoided mountain ranges due to heavy snow and steep terrain that the animal could not easily cross. This animal is mostly found in the steppes of Yerenzar and Khongora, with some roaming down into Oyenzar and northern Zaparodka.

Diet

The Woolly Rhine is a herbivore that mainly feeds on grasses and sedges. Its long, slanted head with a downward-facing posture and tooth structure all help it graze on vegetation. They have a wide upper lip like that of the southern rhinoceros, which allows them to easily pluck vegetation directly from the ground. Some have been observed eating wooden plants as well as flowers, forbs, and mosses. The Woolly Rhino tends to graze more in the summertime, while in the winter, it feeds on shrubs and branches in the wintertime. 

Behavior

Woolly Rhinos roam in herds made up of 6-10 individuals, mostly consisting of females and calves. Adult males are solitary outside of mating season and are noted to be quite territorial during this time. Males often mark their territory with scratch marks, urine, and excrement, continuously reapplying their marks throughout the day. When threatened, Woolly Rhinos make threat displays, including wiping its horn on the ground and a head-low posture with ears back, combined with snarl threats and shrieking if attacked.
Adult white rhinos only have one natural predator, the ice-breathing lesser dragon known as the Tormogo. Beyond the prowling dragon which stays close to their mountain homes, the Woolly Rhino rarely threatened by other animals due to their size, and even young rhinos are rarely attacked or preyed on due to the mother's presence and their tough skin.

Reproduction and Growth

Females reach sexual maturity at 6–7 years of age while males reach sexual maturity between 10 and 12 years of age. Courtship is often a difficult affair. The bull stays beyond the point where the cow acts aggressively and will give out a call when approaching her. The bull chases and or blocks the way of the cow while squealing or wailing loudly if the cow tries to leave his territory. Breeding pairs stay together between 5–20 days before they part their separate ways. The gestation period of a Woolly Rhino is 16 months. Calves are unsteady for their first two to three days of life. When threatened, the baby will run in front of the mother, which is very protective of her calf and will fight for it vigorously. Weaning starts at two months, but the calf may continue suckling for over 12 months. The birth interval for the white rhino is between two and three years.

Lifespan

45 years

Average Height

2 Meters (6.5 ft)

Average Length

4.6 meters (15 ft)