Zoo database

Asian rhinoceros

Rhinoceros unicornis

Natural diet Asian rhinoceros

The Asian rhino is an intermediate grazer and browser, although it mainly consumes grasses. However, dependent on the season, its diet can contain up to 50% of browse.

Grasses
Grasses
Herbs
Herbs
Leaves
Leaves

Feeding advice Asian rhinoceros

Feed quantity per day

1-2.5%

Sample percentage calculation

If an animal weighs 3,000 kg and eats 2% of its body weight, it will get
 
3,000 x 0.02 = 60 kg feed in total per day

Feed composition

10% Concentrates
60% Grass, alfalfa, roughage
30% Browse

Proportions (fresh product)

0.1 x 60 kg = 6,000 g concentrates
0.6 x 60 kg = 36,000 g grass, alfalfa, roughage
0.3 x 60 kg = 18,000 g browse

Diet Suggestions

Recommended

Grass hay (e.g. timothy hay)
Lucerne hay
Variety of browse (willow, birch, blackberry)
Salt lick

Not recommended

Vegetables
Fruits

Common diseases

An unbalanced diet may result in one of these more commonly occurring diseases/conditions:

  • Colic
  • Obesity
  • Laminitis
  • Foot problems
  • Cardiovascular problems
  • Farmer’s lung

Additional advice

  • Divide the “Feed quantity per day” over at least two feeding moments per day.
  • Supplement the diet with ad libitum roughage and/or browse, dependent on the season.
  • The ratio between grass hay and lucerne hay should be 50:50 (read more about browsers and grazers).
  • The browse used in the diet can be a mixture between dried and fresh browse.
  • It is not recommended to feed the rhinos from the ground since they might ingest sand which increases the risk of colic.
  • Hang or hide the feed (not in sand) to reduce the risk of colic and increase foraging behaviour (read more about feed enrichment and foraging behaviour).