The great Indian one-horned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) gets its name from the Greek words rhis (nose) and keros (horn), which is actually not a horn but fibrous keratin. There are five different species of rhinos in the world today. Three of these are found in Asia, of which the Indian one is the largest. At present, these rhinos can be found in just nine isolated protected pockets in Nepal and Eastern India. About 60 per cent of these can be found in the Kaziranga National Park, Assam.

The one-horned rhino is about 1.7 m tall and weighs around 2,200 kg. Considering its size, it can move very fast, at around 50 km per hour. It also has a sharp sense of hearing. A female gives birth after a 16-month gestation period. It feeds on fruits, tender leaves, reeds, twigs and occasionally on crops.

These rhinos are poached for their horns for use in Chinese medicine. They also face a threat of extinction due to the destruction of its habitat by humans.