White Rhinoceros - Ceratotherium simum
Habitat:
Open grasslands and floodplains
Range:
Eastern and Southern Africa
Activity Cycle:
Diurnal
Features:
Large, stocky animal with natural grey coloring. Has two facial horns and wide, square lips. They stand 5 to 6 feet tall at their shoulder.
Size:
Can weigh between 3500 and 6000 lb.
Social Structure:
Females live in small groups. Males live independent once they have reached sexual maturity.
Life Expectancy:
25-45 years
Diet:
Their broad, square lips are used to feed on grasses, which make up nearly their entire diet. They walk with their heads and squared lips lowered to the ground searching for food.
Reproduction:
They breed twice a year. Birthing takes place year round, but most births come right after the rainy seasons. After giving birth the mother hides the newborn in the grass, returning several times a day to nurse it. The young are capable of remaining still for long periods of time and their camouflage keeps them relatively invisible in the brush.
Status:
The Northern White Rhino is listed as critically endangered and the Southern White Rhino is Near threatened according to the IUCN and threatened according to the USFWS. Both are protected under national wildlife legislation. They are listed in Appendix I of CITES and are part of an AZA Species Survival Plan.
Interesting Facts:
- A rhino’s horn is not attached to the skull. It grows from the skin and is made of same material as our fingernails.
- Unlike other rhino species, white rhino females travel in groups, which move between male patrolled territories.
- South Africa has approximately 80% of the world’s population of white rhinos. Their numbers are increasing each year due to careful conservation of habitat and harsh enforcement of poaching laws
AZA cooperatively manages this species as a Species Survival Plan® Program.
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