Project 365 Day 21 How Do They Get So Big

White Rhino - A Quillcards Ecard — White Rhino – A Quillcards Ecard

This is a photo I took of a White rhino. As you can see, it isn’t actually white.

What it does have is a wide mouth for eating grass, whereas the Black rhino has a more pointed mouth for reaching up and nibbling branches.

Some authorities, perhaps most authorities, think that the word ‘white’ in the name is actually a corruption of the word ‘wide’ – as in wide mouthed.

How Do They Get So Big

When I kept chickens, I noticed that they scratched for grubs in the earth. They also snatched insects off of the grass.

Then, when I kept a sheep I concluded that herbivores like sheep probably also have a daily intake of insects that they have nibbled by accident when snipping grass.

This must apply all the more to animals like cows that take a twist of grass in their mouths and break it off wholesale.

By The Way

If you are at all familiar with US history from films (movies), you will know that cattle ranchers hated sheep farmers.

Apart from any other reasons for the disputes, one reason the cattle ranchers hated sheep is that sheep nibble grass so short that cattle cannot wrap their tongues around the short grass.

Back To The Story Of How Do They Get So Big

So, the point I am making is that insects or not, the vast bulk of what sheep, cattle, rhinoceroses, elephants, etc. eat – is grass.

They get that big from eating grass?! I still can’t get used to it.

Facts

Photo credit Quillcards

8 Comments

Jackie Paulson says:

January 21, 2012 at 3:12 pm

Thanks for coming by my Project 365- Having camera issues…LOL.

Wanted to say that I learned from your facts today and that is always a good thing.

“The word rhinoceros is derived from the Greek words meaning nose-horn. The collective noun for a group of rhinoceroses is crash or herd.”

Fan of yours, Jackie

LikeLike

Reply
1. David Bennett says:
  
  January 21, 2012 at 3:20 pm
  
  Thanks, Jackie,
  
  Camera issues?
  
  Anything I can help with?
  
  I recall you bought a Nikon, and Nikons are what I shoot – everything from a tiny P2, to a P5100, to a D40, D60, D70, D200, D700, and D7000 – Wow, when I started typing that list, I surprised even myself with how many there are!
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
  1. Jackie Paulson says:
    
    January 23, 2012 at 3:28 pm
    
    It just so happens I have to return it. I really thought it was me, but it is a camera issue…lol…so
    I start a new job and that will take up my time…so I have to wait a week to get the new one… thanks for coming by me and caring.
    
    LikeLike
    
    Reply
    1. David Bennett says:
      
      January 23, 2012 at 4:47 pm
      
      Yes, when the camera (or the replacement) comes back – just keep snapping!
      
      I wrote an article about cameras and taking pictures. If it is too much information, then feel free to ignore it all!
      
      Here is is Things to know when getting a digital camera.
      
      LikeLike
Elaine Livingstone says:

January 22, 2012 at 5:37 pm

a nice photo…and a lesson to boot…thanks for the info

LikeLike

Reply
The Boy and Me (@TheBoyandMe) says:

January 23, 2012 at 10:32 pm

Amazing photograph, love the horn piercing the frame.

Thanks for linking up to #Project366

LikeLike

Reply
1. David Bennett says:
  
  January 23, 2012 at 10:34 pm
  
  Hey, thanks for the reminder yesterday!
  
  Glad you like the photograph. 🙂
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
FromFun ToMum says:

January 23, 2012 at 11:23 pm

wow, amazing photo and interesting facts!

LikeLike

Reply