Wikipedia:Main Page history/2012 June 20

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Today's featured article
The Javan rhinoceros is a member of the family Rhinocerotidae and one of five extant rhinoceroses. Its horn is usually less than 25 cm (10 inches), smaller than those of the other rhino species. Once the most widespread of Asian rhinoceroses, the Javan rhinoceros ranged from the islands of Java and Sumatra, throughout Southeast Asia, and into India and China. The species is critically endangered, with only one known population in the wild, and no individuals in captivity. It is possibly the rarest large mammal on earth, with a population of as few as 40 in Ujung Kulon National Park on Java in Indonesia. The decline of the Javan rhinoceros is attributed to poaching, primarily for their horns, which are highly valued in traditional Chinese medicine. The Javan rhino can live approximately 30–45 years in the wild. It historically inhabited lowland rain forest, wet grasslands and large floodplains. The Javan rhino is mostly solitary, except for courtship and offspring-rearing, though groups may occasionally congregate near wallows and salt licks. Aside from humans, adults have no predators in their range. Scientists and conservationists rarely study the animals directly due to their extreme rarity and the danger of interfering with such an endangered species. Researchers rely on camera traps and fecal samples to gauge health and behavior. Consequently, the Javan rhino is the least studied of all rhino species. (more...) Recently featured: Amador Valley High School – Washington quarter – Vidkun Quisling Archive – By email – More featured articles...
Did you know...
From Wikipedia's newest content: ... that Jack Enzenroth (pictured) in 1910 was the captain of the first baseball team to be coached by Branch Rickey? ... that Berchtesgaden National Park in Bavaria, Germany, was designated a Biosphere Reserve in 1990 by UNESCO? ... that Bahraini boy Ali Hassan is one of the youngest detainees since the national uprising began fourteen months ago in February 2011? ... that the Church of the Good Shepherd in Hadspen, Tasmania, took over ninety years to complete? ... that Julie Otsuka has won an Alex Award, a PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction and an Asian American Literary Award for her works on Japanese Americans? ... that the Estonian Sports Museum has helped organise an exhibition to celebrate Estonia's first Olympics in London? ... that nine-year-old Martha Payne was told by her local council to stop reporting on her school dinners in her blog NeverSeconds after the national media reported on it? Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news
The Supreme Court of Pakistan retroactively discharges Yousaf Raza Gillani from the prime ministership due to his contempt of court conviction. The 7th G-20 summit commences in Los Cabos, Mexico. The Socialist Party of President François Hollande (pictured) gains a majority in the French legislative election. In golf, Webb Simpson wins the U.S. Open. New Democracy, led by Antonis Samaras, gains a plurality in the second Greek legislative election of 2012. Marcel Fässler, Benoît Tréluyer, and André Lotterer win the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the race's first victory in a hybrid car. Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events...
On this day...
June 20: Solstice (23:09 UTC, 2012); Midsummer festivities begin (Northern Hemisphere); Winter solstice festivals (Southern Hemisphere); Flag Day in Argentina; International Surfing Day (2012) 1789 – French Revolution: Meeting on a tennis court near the Palace of Versailles, members of France's Third Estate took the Tennis Court Oath, pledging not to separate until a new constitution was established. 1862 – Barbu Catargiu, the first Prime Minister of Romania, was assassinated after denying people the right of assembly to commemorate the Revolutions of 1848. 1895 – The Kiel Canal (pictured), crossing the base of the Jutland peninsula and the busiest artificial waterway in the world, was officially opened. 1921 – Workers at the Buckingham and Carnatic Mills in the city of Chennai, India, began a four-month strike. 2009 – During the Iranian election protests, the death of Neda Agha-Soltan was captured on video and widely distributed on the Internet, making it "probably the most widely witnessed death in human history". More anniversaries: June 19 – June 20 – June 21 Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries It is now June 20, 2012 (UTC) – Refresh this page

Today's featured picture

The common frog (Rana temporaria) is found throughout much of Europe. Adults have a body length of 6 to 9 cm (2.4 to 3.5 in) and vary in colour, with the ability to lighten and darken their skin to match their surroundings. They will feed on any invertebrate of a suitable size and, apart from the breeding season, live solitary lives.

Photo: Richard Bartz

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