Celebrating the Chinese New Year!
There is some confusion which is the poster critter for this year: it may be a goat or a sheep or a yak, We are told. Who can tell??
Rhinos are not all adept with chopsticks. Moody inventions, chopsticks, right?
Category Archives: Rhino Nifty
Bling Up!
Fat Tuesday.
Mardi Gras is a Festivity of Excess. What it has to recommend it is the over-the-top, more-is-better approach, of which We heartily approve. Why tip-toe, right?
Questions of Dubious Practices We leave to others to sort out. We take the high road, assuming one is available… most of the time.
Small pleasures are pleasures nonetheless
As you are probably aware, today is National Gumdrop Day. We assume you are already prepared for the event, and who would blame you?
One small point though: Percy Trusdale was not entirely alone in his 1801 experiments with the gumdrop. We do not wish to steal his thunder, but We do feel entitled to a rumble or two when gumdrops come up in casual conversation. Please bear it in mind.
Thanks.
Internal Chemical Substations
As detailed on Feb.10, there are many internal weigh stations for appraising vegetable matter as it moves along its path. Tweaking is the name of the game, played by Master Technicians.
Pictured is such a checkpoint. Small staff, but essential in its efficiency and dedication. Each Substation communicates with its fellow internal pivot points. Together, their goal is a perfect Expression of Us. Just who all these staff members are is unclear to Us still. Gives you a good idea of how 50 million years are insufficient for grasping many of Nature’s mysteries. Or maybe all of Nature’s mysteries.
It makes Us feel good, knowing that our understanding is inconsequential. Curiosity is all very well, but does not define Time or Space or lima beans. Nature has, and has always had, the reins.
Our job is to go forth, skipping when possible.
Happy Hoofs
In SE Asia, where We Sumatran Rhinos come from, things are jungly and hilly and pleasingly unpredictable. So it should come as no surprise that We have become light on our feet, and agile to a fault. We often practice as shown, just to keep ourselves prepared. Practice, practice, practice.
Also, a good sense of balance is a help. Also a sunny disposition.
Y’are whatcha Eat
We eat grass. Marvelous what comes from that humble occupation, right?
Just plain Astounded, that’s Us!
“Mirror, Mirror, on the wall…
Who’s the Biggest One of All?” We wouldn’t ask if We were not the answer, right? Right. Indricotheres! the largest land mammals that ever lived: Indricotheres!!!! 15 million years of success, give or take some million.
(Please recall that when We count to four We get unsure of ourselves. We are haphazard statisticians.)
We weighed in at about 16 tons, more or less or more, and stood 18 feet at the shoulder. The picture gives you the idea. No horns. We worked our way across Asia and Asia Minor, ambling around the seas that were popular Back Then. Eating whatever greens Nature provided. Dietary Flexibility: an R Family tradition.
We offer some Mongolian decor, to help you remember our stomping grounds. Indricotheres ‘retired’ 20 million years before the first Mongol picked up a paintbrush, but We needn’t get fussy… It’s the Big Picture, right?
The Pioneer Spirit
Yes, that’s Us Rhinos all right, ready for the Challenge, following our Destiny. Onward, then Onward some more. Been there, done that, by going there and doing it. Excelsiors-and-Then-Some, that’s Us. (Or We, if you want to get persnickity.)
Please notice, there is no globe in this image. Flat Earth Theory allows for vertical irregularities, so We are still good.
Also, no raccoon was harmed in the making of this image.
So then she said…
We are careful with our sources of information. We try not to be gullible, but We are naturally trusting. That may be a fault, but We own up to it. We are not sly.
We get a lot of data from birds. They have the advantages of mobility and aerial perspective, getting the Bigger Picture. That said, much of what they have to report is, not unexpectedly, for the birds. Literally.
but Not Forgotten
These two images represent the other odd-toed kin of our ancient family. They have moved along in the Sweep of Time.
Brontotheres were burly critters, browsing around. They had unique horns, oddly shaped like a nasal forklift. Some were quite big, some were less so. That’s how Nature uses Time, to try things out. They exited about 32 million years ago, after a 6 million year run (or so). Like We were counting… har, har.
Humans have only been around for 2 million years, so We can see that Brontotheres made their mark in the time they were allotted. Just to clarify, We are discussing Millions of Years here. A lot of Time. A whole lot.
Chilicotheres had a happy history, about as long as ours, though they departed 4 million years ago. They started out as We all did, lumpy and hard to tell apart. When they got their Call they developed long front limbs, shorter back ones. Very even tempered is how We recall them. One thing: their front hoofs changed into claws, though nobody can quite recall what they did with them. They lived just about everywhere, again, in a variety of sizes. 40 million years seem an impressive run, even to Us. A serious posthumous Bravo!
Applause always has its place in critter interaction.
Your Inner Rhino 