Ted Connerly, age 8, of Bowling Green, Ohio, for his question:

HOW HEAVY IS A RHINOCEROS?

The rhinoceros is one of the world's largest animals. The huge creature has an immense, solid body and short, clumsy legs. The Indian rhinoceros is the largest of the three kinds that live in Asia. It stands about five feet eight inches high at the shoulder and weighs about two tons.

The Sumatran species of rhinoceros is smaller, standing about four and a half feet tall and weighing about one ton.

The white Africa rhinoceros is the largest of all rhinoceroses. It stands almost six feet tall, is 15 feet long and weighs about three and a half tons.

There are five distinct kinds of rhinoceroses: three Asian species and two African.

The rhinoceros has thick skin that hangs loosely, and most species have little hair. Depending on the kind, the rhinoceros has one or two slightly curving horns that project from the long nose. The horns continue to grow throughout the life of the animal.

The name rhinoceros comes from two Greek words and means nose horned.