What Do You Know About White Rhinos?

There are a few species of rhinoceros, along with a few subspecies, some of which are now extinct. In this post, we’ll be focusing on the white rhino, one of the more commonly known species of rhinoceros. The white rhino, along with the black rhino, lives in Africa. These rhinos can range throughout South Africa, mainly in Namibia, Kenya, and Zimbabwe. The white rhino is divided into two subspecies: northern and southern white rhinos. Read on to learn more about this species and what you can do to help them thrive.

Physical appearance

Though their name would suggest otherwise, white rhinos are not white; they’re gray in color. It is commonly believed, though not proven, that their name comes from the African or Dutch word for “wide.” They likely got the designation of “wide” because the white rhino has pronounced, square lips.

Female white rhinos weigh about 4,000 pounds while male white rhinos weigh around 5,000 pounds. White rhinos are the largest land mammals, next to elephants. They stand between 6-7 feet tall and are about 10-11 feet long. Like the black rhino, white rhinos have two horns that stick out from their snouts.

Behavior

Rhinos generally live in grasslands or savannas and are herbivores. They’ll spend up to half of their day eating, a third sleeping, and then the remaining third doing a variety of other tasks. Scientists believe that white rhinos have a large influence on the ecosystem of savannas, which makes it even more important to work on sustaining their numbers.

White rhinos are also very vocal, communicating with a wide range of sounds. They live in herds of up to 14, but adult males are often solitary. Male white rhinos will have distinct territories, while female white rhinos have their own territories, but these often overlap. Female rhinos will have a single baby at a time and stay with their offspring for a few years before giving birth again.

Threats

White rhinos have no natural predators, besides humans. The biggest threat to all rhinos has historically been poaching, particularly during the colonial area when hunting was uncontrolled. This rampant poaching continues to today. It was widely believed, and still is today to a certain extent, that rhino horns have medicinal properties that can help various ailments. In many countries, people pay a lot of money for rhino horns.

Current status

The white rhino has the largest population of any rhino species, with about 20,000 southern white rhinos in the wild. However, the northern white rhino is critically endangered, with only two northern white rhinos left, both held in captivity. Efforts are currently underway to crossbreed the remaining northern white rhinos, but there has yet to be much success.

It’s up to us to raise awareness of the importance of protecting rhino populations and dispel myths that fund the poaching industry. Tell others about the plight of the white rhino and consider donating to causes that help preserve their populations.