Black Rhinoceros

Scientific Name
Diceros bicornisCommon Names
Hook-lipped Rhinoceros, African Black Rhinoceros

Classification
Mammal

Close Relatives

The African rhinoceros is a very large animal, with a heavily armored body and a distinctive horn. There are five separate species of rhinoceros’ in the world. The main two species are African rhinos and Asian rhinos. In Africa, there are two species of the rhino, the black rhinoceros and the white rhinoceros. Asia has the remaining three species, the Indian rhino, Javan rhino and Sumatran rhino.

Rhinos are brown or grey in color. The rhinoceros has thick skin and a distinctive horn that grows in the in the middle of their nose. The black rhino however, has two horns. They are almost hairless animals, with hair only growing on their tail, eyelashes and ears. The African black rhino is the smallest of the species, weighing about 1.5 tonne and stand around 1.5m tall. These animals mainly live alone. Black Rhinoceros’ can become aggressive if provoked or threatened. They snort loudly to intimidate and make an intruder aware to leave their territory. If the intruder persists, the rhinoceros will most often charge. They have no natural predators due to their size. Humans however can be a predator to these beautiful creatures, by illegal hunting and poaching.

The black rhinoceros is found in grasslands or woodlands. They are found in south-west and eastern Africa. Rhinoceros’ are herbivores, and therefore feed on food sources such as grasses, leaves and small branches. Rhinos mark their territory with urine. Rhinos are solitary animals, however the African white rhinoceros can often live together in small groups. They enjoy bathing in mud to cool down on hot days. Female rhinos can reproduce at around three years, whilst male rhinos are not able to reproduce until around seven years. After reproduction, usually one calf is born. The new born rhino can stand on its own just one hour after it is born, and feeds off the mother for 9-12 months. The rhino usually stay with the more for a further period of two to two and a half years before gaining independence and living solitarily. The rhinos horn was much sought after in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Trading rhinoceros horn is illegal all over the world. There are only 2,500 black rhinos left in the world, a minute number considering only a hundred years ago there was almost a million (estimated) black rhinos in Africa.The African rhinoceros is a very large animal, with a heavily armored body and a distinctive horn. There are five separate species of rhinoceros’ in the world. The main two species are African rhinos and Asian rhinos. In Africa, there are two species of the rhino, the black rhinoceros and the white rhinoceros. Asia has the remaining three species, the Indian rhino, Javan rhino and Sumatran rhino.

These animals mainly live alone. Black Rhinoceros’ can become aggressive if provoked or threatened. They snort loudly to intimidate and make an intruder aware to leave their territory. If the intruder persists, the rhinoceros will most often charge. They have no natural predators due to their size. Humans however can be a predator to these beautiful creatures, by illegal hunting and poaching.

The black rhinoceros is found in grasslands or woodlands. They are found in south-west and eastern Africa. .Rhinoceros’ are herbivores, and therefore feed on food sources such as grasses, leaves and small branches.

Rhinos mark their territory with urine. Rhinos are solitary animals, however the African white rhinoceros can often live together in small groups.

They enjoy bathing in mud to cool down on hot days.

Female rhinos can reproduce at around three years, whilst male rhinos are not able to reproduce until around seven years. After reproduction, usually one calf is born. The new born rhino can stand on its own just one hour after it is born, and feeds off the mother for 9-12 months. The rhino usually stay with the more for a further period of two to two and a half years before gaining independence and living solitarily.

The rhinos horn was much sought after in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Trading rhinoceros horn is illegal all over the world. There are only 2,500 black rhinos left in the world, a minute number considering only a hundred years ago there was almost a million (estimated) black rhinos in Africa.

Black Rhinocerus