Rhinoceros Facts

There are five species of Rhinoceroses—Ceratotherium simum, Diceros bicornis, Rhinoceros unicornis, R. sondaicos, Dicerorhinus sumatrensis—and for the most part, they live in widely separated ranges. By most counts, there are less than 30,000 rhinoceroses alive today, a steep plunge in population for a mammal that has existed on the earth, in one form or another, for 50 million years. Fast Facts: Rhinoceros Scientific Name: Five species are Ceratotherium simum, Diceros bicornis, Rhinoceros unicornis, R. sondaicos, Dicerorhinus sumatrensisCommon Name: White, Black, Indian, Javan, SumatranBasic Animal Group: MammalSize: 4–15 feet tall, 7–15 feet long, depending on speciesWeight: 1,000–5,000 poundsLifespan: 10–45 yearsDiet:  HerbivoreHabitat: Subharan Africa, Southeast Asia, Indian subcontinentPopulation: 30,000Conservation Status: Three species are Critically Endangered (Javan, Sumatran, black), one is Vulnerable (Indian), one is Near Threatened (white) Description Rhinoceroses are perissodactyls, or odd-toed ungulates, a family of mammals characterized by their herbivorous diets, relatively simple stomachs, and ​an odd number of toes on their feet (one or three). The only other perissodactyls on earth today are horses, zebras, and donkeys (all belonging to genus Equus), and the strange, pig-like mammals known as tapirs.  Rhinoceroses are characterized by their large sizes, quadrupedal postures, and single or double  horns on the ends of their snouts—the name rhinoceros is Greek for nose horn. These horns probably evolved as a sexually selected characteristic—that is, males with bigger, more prominent horns were more successful with females during mating season. Considering how big they are, rhinoceroses have unusually small brains—no more than a pound and a half in the largest individuals, and about five times smaller than a comparably sized elephant. That is a common attribute in animals which have elaborate anti-predator defenses like body armor: their encephalization quotient (the relative size of an animals brain compared to the rest of its body) is low. WLDavies/Getty Images   Species There are five extant rhino species—the white rhinoceros, black rhinoceros, Indian rhinoceros, Javan rhinoceros, and Sumatran rhinoceros. The largest rhinoceros species, the white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) consists of two subspecies—the southern white rhinoceros, which lives in the southernmost regions of Africa, and the northern white rhinoceros of central Africa. There are about 20,000 southern white rhinoceroses in the wild, the males of which weigh over two tons, but the northern white rhinoceros is on the brink of extinction, with a mere handful of individuals surviving in zoos and nature reserves. No one is quite sure why C. simum is called white—this may be a corruption of the Dutch word wijd, which means wide (as in widespread), or because its horn is lighter than that of other rhinoceros species. Actually brown or grey in color, the black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) used to be widespread across southern and central Africa, but today its numbers have dwindled to about half those of the southern white rhinoceros. (In Greek, bicornis means two-horned; an adult black rhinoceros has a larger horn toward the front of its snout, and a narrower one directly behind.) Black rhinoceros adults rarely exceed two tons in weight, and they browse on shrubs rather than grazing on grass like their white cousins. There used to be a bewildering number of black rhinoceros subspecies, but today the International Union for the Conservation of Nature recognizes only three, all of them seriously endangered. The Indian or greater one-horned rhinoceros, Rhinoceros unicornis, used to be thick on the ground in India and Pakistan until a combination of hunting and habitat destruction restricted its numbers to the puny 4,000 or so individuals alive today. Full-grown Indian rhinos weigh between three and four tons and are characterized by their long, thick, black horns, which are prized by unscrupulous poachers. On a historical note, the Indian rhinoceros was the first rhino to be seen in Europe, a single individual shipped to Lisbon in 1515. Plucked from its natural habitat, this unfortunate rhino quickly died, but not before it had been immortalized in a woodcut by Albrecht Durer, the sole reference point for European  enthusiasts until another Indian rhino arrived in England in 1683. One of the rarest mammals in the entire world, the Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicos) consists of a few dozen individuals living on the western edge of Java (the largest island in the Indonesian archipelago). This cousin of the Indian rhinoceros (same genus, different species) is slightly smaller, with a comparably smaller horn, which has not, sadly, prevented it from being hunted to near-extinction by poachers. The Javan rhinoceros used to be widespread across Indonesia and southeast Asia; one of the key factors in its decline was the Vietnam War, in which millions of acres of habitat were destroyed by incendiary bombing and poisoning of vegetation by the herbicide called Agent Orange. Also known as the hairy rhinoceros, the Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) is almost as endangered as the Javan rhinoceros, with which it once shared the same territory of Indonesia and Southeast Asia. Adults of this species rarely exceed 2,000 pounds in weight, making it the smallest living rhinoceros. Unfortunately, as with the Javan rhinoceros, the relatively short horn of the Sumatran rhinoceros hasnt spared it from the depredations of poachers: The powdered horn of a Sumatran rhino commands over $30,000 per kilogram on the black market. Not only is D. sumatrensis the smallest rhino, but its also the most mysterious. This is by far the most vocal rhino species and herd members communicate with one another via yelps, moans, and whistles. Habitat and Range Rhinoceroses are native to Subharan Africa, Southeast Asia, Indian subcontinent, depending on their species. They live in a variety of habitats, including tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas and shrublands, tropical moist forests, and deserts and xeric shrublands. Diet Rhinos are all herbivores, but their diets depend on their habitat: Sumatran and Javan rhinos feed on tropical vegetation, including some fruits, while black rhinoceros are primarily browsers that feed on herbs and shrubs, and Indian rhinos feed on both grasses and aquatic plants. They require a great deal of time to forage and spend most of their active time doing that. Rhinos can be active day or night and generally regulate their activity depending on the weather. If its too hot or too cold, they will stay near water. Behavior If theres one place the average person does not want to be, its in the path of a stampeding rhino. When startled, this animal can hit top speeds of 30 miles per hour, and its not exactly equipped to stop on a dime (which may be one reason rhinos evolved their nasal horns as they can absorb unexpected impacts with stationary trees). Because rhinos are basically solitary animals, and because they have become so thin on the ground, its rare to see a true crash (as a group of rhinos is called), but this phenomenon has been known to occur around watering holes. Rhinos also have poorer eyesight than most animals, another reason not to linger in the path of a four-ton male on your next African safari. The closest rhinoceros bond is between a mother and her offspring. Bachelor rhinos congregate in small crashes of three to five, and sometimes as many as 10, to cooperate against predators. Rhinos may also gather around limited resources, water pools, wallows, feeding areas, and salt licks, always staying one body length apart. Reproduction and Offspring All rhinoceroses are polygamous and polyandrous—both sexes seek multiple mates. Courting and mating can occur at any time during the day. During courtship, males engage in mate-guarding behavior until the female is in full estrus and will permit males to approach her. Indian male rhinos whistle loudly to announce reproductive condition and location, six to 10 hours before breeding activity. Gestation takes 15–16 months, and by two months of age, calves are weaned and may be left alone while the female forager a few feet away. When separated temporarily, the female and her calves stay in contact through vocalizations. Calves suckle until the calf is two or the mother conceives again; they become completely independent at three years. Females become sexually mature at 5–7, and males at 10 years. Rhinos typically live between 10 and 45 years, depending on the species.   mantaphoto/Getty Images Evolutionary History Researchers trace the evolutionary lineage of modern rhinoceroses back 50 million years, to small, pig-sized ancestors that originated in Eurasia and later spread to North America. A good example is Menoceras, a tiny, four-footed plant-eater that sported a pair of small horns. The North American branch of this family went extinct about five million years ago, but rhinos continued to live in Europe until the end of the last Ice Age (at which point Coelodonta, also known as the woolly rhino, went extinct along with its fellow mammalian megafaunas like the woolly mammoth and the saber-toothed tiger). One recent rhinoceros ancestor, Elasmotherium, may even have inspired the unicorn myth, as its single, prominent horn struck awe in early human populations. Daniel Eskridge/Stocktrek Images/Getty Images Conservation Status All of the five species of rhinoceroses are listed as endangered or vulnerable ty the IUCN. Three are listed as Critically Endangered (Javan, Sumatran, and black rhinos); one is Vulnerable (Indian), and one is Near Threatened (white).   Ã‚  Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images Threats Rhinoceroses have been continually driven relentlessly to the brink of extinction by human poachers. What these hunters are after is rhino horns, which, when ground up into powder, are valued in the east as aphrodisiacs (today, the largest market for powdered rhino horn is in Vietnam, as Chinese authorities have recently cracked down on this illicit trade). Whats ironic is that the horn of a rhinoceros is composed entirely of keratin, the same substance that makes up human hair and fingernails. Rather than continuing to drive these majestic animals into extinction, perhaps poachers can be convinced to grind up their toenail clippings and see if anyone notices the difference! Sources Emslie, R. Ceratotherium simum. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T4185A16980466, 2012.---. Diceros bicornis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T6557A16980917, 2012.  Hutchins, M., and M. D. Kreger. Rhinoceros Behaviour: Implications for Captive Management and Conservation. International Zoo Yearbook 40.1 (2006): 150-73. Print.Talukdar, B.K. et al. Rhinoceros unicornis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T19496A8928657, 2008.  van Strien, N.J. et al. Rhinoceros sondaicus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T19495A8925965, 2008.van Strien, N.J., et al. Dicerorhinus sumatrensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T6553A12787457, 2008.

Independent Behaviour Free Essays

iINDEPENDENT BEHAVIOUR (12 MARK ESSAY) Some reasons people show signs of independent behaviour (i. e. do not conform or obey) is influence by many factors, Gender being one of them. We will write a custom essay sample on Independent Behaviour or any similar topic only for you Order Now Neto carried out the same study as Asch, but this time all the participants were female (as in Asch’s study they were all male). In Asch’s study he found that 37% of the participants conformed, whereas Neto found that 59% conformed. However Asch’s study was criticized for lacking ecological validity and Neto’s study is a replication of Asch. As the participants were not in a natural situation Linz and Semykina took data from a survey of over 2,600 Russian employees between 2000 and 2003. They found that men are more likely to have internal Locus of Control and a need for challenge and women more likely to exhibit external locus of control and need for affiliation (belonging to a group). High Internal females earned more than external women. The fact there is a large sample size of 2600 means the findings are reliable, good sample size. However it can be argued that there is a potential cultural bias as the data was only taken from Russian employees. When Asch debriefed his participants, he found a common factor of confidence in the people who hadn’t conformed if someone felt confident in their judgments; they were more able to resist group pressure. This idea is supported by Perin and Spencer’s study. They replicated Asch’s study with engineering students. Conformity levels were much lower. Perin and Spencer attributed this to the fact that engineers had confidence in their skills in making accurate observations. How to cite Independent Behaviour, Papers

Recording, Analysing and using HR information free essay sample

It is extremely important for all organisations to record and store data for a number of reasons, one significant reason being to satisfy legal requirements. Government agencies such as HMRC, Department of Work Pensions and the Health Safety Executive to name but a few, can demand information from organisations at any time. Pay, tax and employee data needs to be accurately recorded and monitored by HR, in order to ensure employees are being treated fairly and organisations are compliant. Relevant legislation would include the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 with regard to pay, working hours are restricted under the Working Time regulations and safe working practices and conditions are outlined under the Health Safety at work Act 1974. Failure to comply with this legislation can lead to errors, accidents, increased absence, breakdown of the psychological contract, poor employee engagement, poor retention rates, a bad corporate reputation and can result in serious financial consequences such as fines, legal action or closure of business in extreme cases. Another reason that organisations collect HR data is for monitoring levels of employee sickness and absence. According to the CIPD’s 2013 Annual Survey Report on Absence Management, organisations reported employees absent between 6 and 8. 7 days each per annum at an average annual cost to the business of ? 595 per employee due to a lack of resource and productivity. As can be seen, hours lost due to sickness and absence can cost organisations a huge amount of time and money every year and attendance data collected can be used for Occupational Health investigations or capability reviews with the employee, especially should multiple instances of absence occur or a pattern emerges. Attendance data can also help to spot patterns and trends which can pinpoint other less obvious causes for absence. Poor line management, workplace bullying, poor motivation, a training need or a welfare issue can often be the cause of recurrent, short term absence and once highlighted, HR can intervene to offer practical support, advice and guidance to both employees and line managers in order to rectify these issues before they escalate further. Organisations store data collected in two ways. Before the technology boom in the late nineties, manual files (that are written or printed) were widely used but are now less popular, specially in large organisations that are heavily reliant upon technology. The benefits of manual files are that they are cheap to compile with little or no training required to extract information from them. However the downside being they take a large amount of space to store, they have little or no security and if they are destroyed or damaged, the information is permanently lost. Electronic storage on computer hard drives, shared drives, memory sticks, internet, intranet, dvd and so on is now the preferred method due to the many benefits. It is easier to input and update information on a computer, the information can be quickly distributed to a vast amount of recipients via email, can be easily manipulated and formatted for reporting purposes in various applications, doesn’t take up any physical office space and can be secured and protected via encryption programmes or passwords. Of course, data can be highly sensitive, confidential and valuable and therefore it is crucial organisations are responsible and compliant when collecting, storing and using this information. There are many pieces of legislation that relate to this such as Limitation Act 1980, The Data Protection Act 1998, Human Rights Act 1998, Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, Freedom of Information Act 2000, Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 Part 11, Information and Consultation of Employees Regulations 2004, the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 and the UK Borders Act 2007. Two pieces of legislation in particular which are relevant to the everyday uses of HR data within organisations are the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) and Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA). The DPA states that the processing of automated and manual data must comply with seven principles; the data must be used fairly and lawfully, used for limited, specifically stated purposes, used in a way that is relevant and not excessive, must be accurate and up to date, kept no longer than necessary, handled according to data protection rights, kept safe secure and must not be transferred outside the UK without adequate protection. There are guidelines produced by the Information Commissioner detailing the best practice for handling data and maintaining compliance in four areas; Recruitment Selection, Employment records, Monitoring at work and Information about workers health. Subject to certain exceptions (as detailed in Schedule 7 of the Data Protection Act 1998) employees have the right to access their records and also employers must seek the permission of he individual concerned before releasing any information to a 3rd party. Under the DPA, employers must keep certain data for specific statutory periods of time and once this has expired destruction of data must take place securely and effectively. The FOIA 2000 relates only to information gathered, stored and used in the Public sector (NHS, Government departments, Local Authorities, Police forces etc) and information held in the private sector on behalf of public organisations. It aims to improve accountability and provide transparency within organisations that spend public money. This gives the public the right to access all information including emails, documents, letters and notes, without any relation to themselves and without needing to provide a reason. The request can be denied only if it contravenes the Data Protection Act, harms national security or is not in the ‘public interest’ but even then a refusal has to be valid, reasonable, explained and an edited version released.

Battle Of The Beasts Essay Research Paper free essay sample

Battle Of The Animals Essay, Research Paper In 1954, with nil but their originative heads, the Toho Movie company produced the first elephantine monster film. Japan s Godzilla was brought to life. In 1998, with nil but Lucas Arts particular effects, and a name which guaranteed a blockbuster, the Centropolis Movie Company produced the All American Godzilla Flick. U.S.A. has eventually found its ain Godzilla. But is this new animal better than the Asiatic one? Despite the technological progresss and successful advertisement, the U.S. Godzilla has truly no comparing to the Nipponese one. Cinema has changed a batch in 45 old ages. In the times of King Kong and Dracula, # 8221 ; chilling # 8221 ; had a really important significance. Nowadays we are excessively smart for that. To do a batch of money, one might state a scientific discipline fiction film needs to look existent. In this regard, the American film is far better. The American audiences want to see an exciting film. We will write a custom essay sample on Battle Of The Beasts Essay Research Paper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In this regard besides, the American film is better. The film is besides, in most respects, a better film so any which came out in Japan. It is non nevertheless, Godzilla. The American monster doesn t even look like Godzilla. The visual aspect of Japan s Godzilla is better. The American Godzilla leans frontward at the hips when he walks. He has triangular bony home bases and a thin pointy tail. His oral cavity is like an iguana s. The Nipponese Godzilla is non a lizard. He is a mutated animal unlike any other. His bony home bases are really flimsy growings that are all over the topographic point. Godzilla, who was meant to mean atomic holocaust, besides closely resembles a human. In this manner, we can see a character out of him, non merely another elephantine lizard. His eyes are both pointed forward like a human, he walks unsloped like a human, and he has long forearms like a human. Godzilla doesn T have graduated tables, he has large perpendicular channels in a leathery tegument. He has a broad stance, muscular legs, and an look that merely takes some peoples breath off. And his illustriousness goes far beyond his expressions ; you can besides see it in his bosom. The Nipponese Godzilla is better because he has a psyche. He is powerful, yet sometimes defeated. He is an unstoppable force of nature, but besides a warrior. Godzilla is a elephantine monster, but he is besides a character. His face has looks, and he has a batch of motive. Such minute nsters are about non-existent in American civilization besides a few. King Kong, Frankenstein, and Dracula are all successful because the monster made sense. If the audience can t experience regretful or understanding for an evil animal, the animal has non done its occupation. Today s American audiences do non hold monsters with psyches. Our monster films are about the people in the movies, non the monsters. For illustration, Alien, Predator, Jurassic Park, Jaws. They are large computerized props. The audience has no emotion towards them. When they are on the screen sometimes we might desire them off. The American Godzilla is a lizard, nil more, even if it looks realistic. Last, the Nipponese Godzilla is better in the regard that it does non look existent. No Godzilla film has of all time been 100 % realistic. The U.S.A. Godzilla movie is realistic. When an audience tickers it, they believe their eyes. When you watch a Nipponese Godzilla film you can appreciate the fact that it is a film. It neer one time seems existent. The audience can play over the eldritch scientific discipline and rubber suits in their heads. Nipponese Godzilla films aren t existent, they re fictious ; beyond existent. They are like we imagine when we read a book. Most of all nevertheless, Japan s Godzilla is fun to watch, America s is non. America s Godzilla is merely a cool lizard from the find channel. We have possibly to many particular effects. Ever since Jurassic Parks improbably realistic dinosaurs, we are non as excited by the awful lizards we see and read about. When something fabulous becomes existent, it is no longer every bit interesting as it was earlier. One of the best Godzilla films of all time made would hold to be Godzilla V. King Kong. The conflict between the big E and west monster. There are a batch of good scenes in it, including when King Kong shoves a large tree down Godzilla s pharynx, and he coughs it back up. At the terminal King Kong and Godzilla are contending when they all of a sudden fall over the side of a drop. They fall in H2O, and King Kong is seen swimming to shore, presumptively stating Godzilla is dead. But is he? Remember he can swim underwater! Godzilla International Relations and Security Network t an animate being. He isn t a lizard or a firedrake or a dinosaur or even a cat in a gum elastic costume. Godzilla is a universe broad film fable. Truly, Godzilla is excessively large to melt off. Godzilla is truly one of a sort.

What Saddam was really thinkin essays

What Saddam was really thinkin essays The chosen supplementary text is an article titled WHAT SADDAM WAS REALLY THINKING written by Johanna McGeary. The source of the article is the Time magazine published on the 18th October 2004. The inner journey in this article is the decision journey that Saddam Hussein undertakes to become who he hoped to be and who he ended up to be. Saddam Husseins journey begins as he had always hoped to dictate how history would view him. In his mind, he was the successor to great Iraqi heroes like Nebuchadnezzar and Saladin... This shows that though the motivation of his idols, he has followed a life path experienced before by another person. (T)he dictators inner motivations and artful deceptions also motivated him through his journey. Saddams psychology powerfully shaped by a deprived and violent boyhood in a village and tribal society, especially by the strong influence of his xenophobic guardian uncle. This shows that at a young age, his life journey was already planned out for him by his uncle. Saddam was awed by science and impressed by the way technology conveyed military power. His mind was tempted to exploit the power of technology to achieve his goal to be a dictator. Saddam faced a critical decision to hide weapons of mass destruction and secretly maintain development programs, which meant that he could face tough sanctions from the U.N. However, Saddam made a calculated decision to destroy the evidence. Saddam has encountered an obstacle in his journey and has to find a new route to his destination. This is evident as he intended to resume developing weapons of mass destruction, however instead, (he) turned his cunning to sanctions busting. Saddam ordered the execution, which was the path he has chosen. However, this path has resulted in ...

Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELT) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELT) - Essay Example Technological advances in design of all these modes of transportation have made them far safer than they have ever been since their inception. Aircraft are some of the most technologically advanced systems today, with some having the capacity to travel at the speed of sound, others capable of transcontinental flight, still others practically built to be fortresses in the sky. Ships have become more massive, or more streamlined. They have become floating island cities. Trains nowadays are technological marvels of speed and safety, carrying people from one place to another at a fraction of the time they used to. However, despite all these technological leaps, there have still been instances that disasters strike, and none of these modes of transportation have been spared from the rare occurrences of disaster. Most accidents are external in nature – lightning strikes an aircraft, an iceberg rams a ship, a bridge collapses under the weight of a train. Because of the ease at which these transportation agents bring people to their destinations, there has been a bigger volume of commuters in the world today than ever before. Therefore, there are far more people who start passengers and end up as victims of an accident, and the sad reality is, they could potentially be casualties in the final calculation. Recent accidents like that of Air France 447 where the debris of the ill-fated aircraft, an ultra-modern Airbus A330 jet carrying 228 passengers, have yet to be found, remind us of the importance of having equipment that allows for quick location of an accident. Casualties usually mount as more time passes from the time of the accident to the time rescue teams arrive. There has to be a way to decrease this time because every second literally means lives. To solve this problem, the distress radio beacons or emergency beacons were developed. They are basically tracking

Select one of your favorite brands that is involved in licensing Research Paper

Select one of your favorite brands that is involved in licensing. Write one page on why or why not it works for the brand - Research Paper Example 529). Acne Studios is a part of the Creative Collective Acne. The Studio was founded in the year 1996 in Stockholm, Sweden. Acne Studios is a fashion manufacturing brand that designs fashion apparels and jeans. The operations of Acne Studio are not only limited to Sweden. In fact, the operations are expanded across the world. In order to expand its operations, the company relies on licensing agreements. With the help of licensing agreements, the company has successfully expanded its operations in Europe and Asia. The Swedish company is also planning to expand its business in London, Paris, and Japan. The effectiveness of licensing for Acne Studios can be realized from the fact the company has successfully expanded its operations in 35 locations with the help of licensing agreements (Okonkwo pp. 353). Under the licensing agreement, the company sells its licenses to other companies. Those companies use the brand, design, and IP of the parent company. The licenses can be sold to several companies in the same market. The licensing agreements have also allowed Acne Studios to exercise control over how the brand is used. This has allowed the company to maintain the standard of its products (Okonkwo pp. 353). Hagedoorn, J., S. Lorenz-Orlean, and H. van Kranenburg. â€Å"Inter-firm Technology Transfer: Partnership-embedded Licensing or Standard Licensing Agreements?† Industrial and Corporate Change 18.3 (2008):