E2
Skeleton of white rhinoceroses
rare species that lives in treasure house

The wild populations of rhinoceros are in danger of extinction. The zoos have a role to artificially maintain and breed these species to protect them. Even if the zoos protect them carefully, a number of rhino die of senility. These dead bodies produce basic morphological information about the endangered group.

The African and Asian rhinoceros have been donated to the University Museum of the University of Tokyo. These two specimens are white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) which are distributed in Africa. Their nicknames are Chosuke from Hirakawa Zoo (Kagoshima City) and Nanako from Oji Zoo (Kobe City). After examining the cause of death, the dead bodies have been brought to the University Museum. Because the bodies of the adult individuals were too large, they were buried in the soil to prepare the skeletons after being dissected. At last the bones of Nanako were exposed to hot water to make the specimen.

About all species of the rhinoceros, few studies of anatomy and physiology have been carried out. So, we actually depend on the information of records of 100 years ago. However, in the University Museum, we have overcome various difficulties and gathered the data from dead bodies of rhinoceros with the ccooperations between zoo and our department. We have conducted researches about the structure of the white rhinoceros, for example the form and function of the intestines, the subcutaneous structure, the shape and size of Eustachian tube and the microstructure of the bones, and published the fruitful results. They were carefully maintained in the zoo, and loved by the people. Moreover, after death they give knowledge to the people, and spend the second life at UMUT Hall of Inspiration. (Hideki Endo & Mayu Kusumi)