The Javan rhinoceros is a member of the family Rhinocerotidae and one of five extant rhinoceroses. Its horn is usually less than 25 cm (10 inches), smaller than those of the other rhino species. Once the most widespread of Asian rhinoceroses, the Javan rhinoceros ranged from the islands of Java and Sumatra, throughout Southeast Asia, and into India and China. The species is critically endangered, with only one known population in the wild, and no individuals in captivity. It is possibly the rarest large mammal on earth, with a population of as few as 40 in Ujung Kulon National Park on Java in Indonesia. The decline of the Javan rhinoceros is attributed to poaching, primarily for their horns, which are highly valued in traditional Chinese medicine. The Javan rhino can live approximately 30–45 years in the wild. It historically inhabited lowland rain forest, wet grasslands and large floodplains. The Javan rhino is mostly solitary, except for courtship and offspring-rearing, though groups may occasionally congregate near wallows and salt licks. Aside from humans, adults have no predators in their range. Scientists and conservationists rarely study the animals directly due to their extreme rarity and the danger of interfering with such an endangered species. Researchers rely on camera traps and fecal samples to gauge health and behavior. Consequently, the Javan rhino is the least studied of all rhino species.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javan_rhinoceros

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1789:

French Revolution: Meeting on a tennis court near the Palace of Versailles, members of France's Third Estate took the Tennis Court Oath, pledging not to separate until a new constitution was established. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennis_Court_Oath

1862:

Barbu Catargiu, the first Prime Minister of Romania, was assassinated after denying people the right of assembly to commemorate the Revolutions of 1848. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbu_Catargiu

1895:

The Kiel Canal (pictured), crossing the base of the Jutland peninsula and the busiest artificial waterway in the world, was officially opened. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiel_Canal

1921:

Workers at the Buckingham and Carnatic Mills in the city of Chennai, India, began a four-month strike. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1921_Buckingham_and_Carnatic_Mills_Strike

2009:

During the Iranian election protests, the death of Neda Agha- Soltan was captured on video and widely distributed on the Internet, making it "probably the most widely witnessed death in human history". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Neda_Agha-Soltan

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

demagogue: (pejorative) An orator or leader who gains favor by pandering to or exciting the passions and prejudices of the audience. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/demagogue

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

The well taught philosophic mind To all compassion gives; Casts round the world an equal eye, And feels for all that lives. --Anna Letitia Barbauld https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Anna_Letitia_Barbauld