World Rhinoceros day is being observed on September 22, aiming to raise awareness on protecting the critically endangered species.
Notably, fossils of rhinoceros prove that they once lived in the floodplains of the Thamirabarani and its tributaries.
A fragmented skull of a rhinoceros was collected from Sathankulam and is being preserved at the government museum in Chennai.
Curator (Geology) of the museum S Dhanalakshmi, said, “The specimen was donated by S Christopher Jayakaran, a hydro-geologist from Bengaluru, in 1992. The fossil was found while digging a well at Sathankulam in the then Tirunelveli district (now, Thoothukudi).”
“Other than the front portion of the skull and the rest of the fossil were reconstructed by Dr GL Badan, Deccan College of Post Graduate and Research Institute, Pune,” she added.
Geologist Dr Suhatha Rahima, quoting the research paper ‘Fossil rhinoceros from Tamil Nadu’, authored by SC Jayakaran published in the Current Science on May 5, 1980, said the specimen belonged to the Pleistocene period. Back then the Thamirabarani plains had a favourable climate for the rhinos, she said.
The 78-year-old Jayakaran told TNIE, that he discovered the fossil 30 m south of the Karumeniyar at a depth of 8.5 m in 1979.
Dr HJ Hoojer, an expert from Rijks museum, Amsterdam, confirmed the skull as an extinct species. The fossil is at least 30,000 to 40,000 years-old, he said.
“A specimen of the same species is displayed at Rathnapura museum in Sri Lanka," said Jayakaran. It shows that Sri Lanka was interconnected with the Indian peninsular landmass until it emerged as an island 7,000 years ago due to the rise in sea level, he added.
Ramana Kailash, a young wildlife enthusiast, said, “It is exhilarating to note that rhinos were present across the Indian sub continent. The extinction of the species shows the vagaries of climatic change and it is surprising how much the environment has changed now”.
“The mention of ‘Oru Kottu Aa’ in Sangam Tamil literature refers to a big animal with one horn. ‘Kandamirugam’ is the Sanskritised version of rhinos. Since, rhinos were poached for meat, Ashoka's edicts mention not to kill rhinos,” Jayakaran added.
Recalling his experience, Jayakaran said that a fossil skull of Hypselephas Hysudricus, an extinct elephant, contemporary of the Sathankulam Rhino, was discovered during the same era by Zoologist Easterson at Ayyanadaipu, near Thoothukudi town. This species also existed spread in Sri Lanka.
Notably, World Rhinoceros Day is observed every September 22 with the general theme--Keep the Five Alive, emphasising the importance of protecting all five rhino species--White, Black, Greater One-Horned, Javan, and Sumatran.
Sources said, the total number of rhinoceros in the African and Asian continents is 23,885 and 4018, according to IUCN reports. India has over 3,271 greater one-horned rhinos protected at national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. Kaziranga National Park in Assam, has 80% of India's rhinos. India has been working on increasing its population through various schemes.