Scientific Name:
Ceratotherium simum
Distribution
Botswana, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Diet:
Herbivore. Mainly grass.
Facts
Habitat: Savannah, grassland
Gestation: 16 months, 1 offspring
Social structure: Solitary males and groups of up to 6 .
White rhinos are sedentary semi-social and territorial. Adult bulls are basically solitary and associate only with females in oestrus. Stable groups (commonly known as 'crashes') of up to six animals can be commonly observed, (although this is sadly a rarer sight these days, due to poaching), while larger groups are the result of temporary aggregations, due to availability of food, watering, or resting conditions.
Weight: male 2,300, female 1,700
Dimensions: length up to 4.2, height up to 1.8
Estimated population in the wild: 10,080
Lifespan: 36-45
Threats: Poaching for the international rhino horn trade, which is sold to Asian countries, particularly China, Taiwan and South Korea for use in traditional medicine, and habitat loss.
IUCN Status: Near threatened
Did you know that:
- The front horn is ~90cm in length, but can reach up to 1,50m. It grows
- from the skin and is made up of keratin fibers, the same material found in hair and nails.
- They can run very fast, up to 40 km/h for short periods.
- They have poor eyesight, but acute senses of hearing and smell.