physical description western black rhinoceros

This was amended to include an 8th subspecies by Groves & Grubb (2011): Groves (1967) proposed the distinction of seven subspecies, based on a study of skeletal material, distribution and previous studies. The taxonomy of the subspecies of the black rhino remains unresolved and needs further study. View a list of Black Rhino Scientific names. Throughout history the Black Rhino has been referred to using quite a lot of different scientific names. Bicornis is from the Latin bi for “two” and cornis meaning “horn”. Diceros being from the Greek di for “two” and ceros meaning “horn”. The scientific name for the Black Rhino is Diceros bicornis.

Prehensile-Lipped Rhinoceros: Refers to the same characteristic hooked-upper lip.

Hook-Lipped Rhinoceros: The narrow upper lip of the Black Rhino is adapted to feeding from trees and bushes and is perfect for ripping of leaves.

Black Rhinoceros: The term black was probably chosen to distinguish it from the White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum), although both species are not distinguishable by colour.

Black Rhinos can live up to 5 days without water.

Black Rhinos are known to eat up to 220 different species of plant.

Black Rhinos are browsers and primarily feed on leafy plants, branches & shoots.

Current Range: In several National Parks primarily located in Namibia and South Africa.

Historic Natural Range: Southern and Eastern Africa (from Namibia, through Zambia up to Ethiopia, and all countries to the East) and in a East to west running belt from Ethiopia to Guinea (Southern edge of Sahara).

Habitat: grasslands, savannahs and tropical bushland.Pre 20th century numbers: several hundred thousand.Female sexual maturity: at 4 to 7 years.Birth intervals per calf: 2.5 to 4 years.Gestation period: around 15 to 16 months.

Black Rhinos browse for food in the morning and evening and sleep or wallow during the hottest part of the day.Home range size dependent on habitat, sex and age and varies greatly.Female home ranges overlap and are less solitary.Males are mainly solitary and probably territorial.Black Rhinos are usually portrayed as the most aggressive of all Rhino Species.Black Rhinos may reach speeds of 50 km/h (28 m/h).Characterisitcs: pointed hooked upper lip (prehensile lip).The oldest recorded animal lived 44 years 9 months in a zoo. Anterior Horn length: 0,5 – 1,3 m (1 ft 8 in – 4 ft 4 in).There are four subspecies of Black Rhino, but the West African Black Rhino (Diceros bicornis longipes) is tentatively declared extinct. But due to conservation efforts numbers are stabilising and slowly rising, although tremendous effort is still needed to secure the future for the Black Rhino. The Black Rhino has seen the most drastic decline of all rhino species, because of poaching and habitat loss. There are about 3,610 Black Rhino still left in the wild, but it has been estimated that there were about 70,000 in the late 1960s. It’s one of the two species of Rhinos native to Africa and it’s current range includes Southern and Eastern areas of Africa. The Black Rhinoceros is a herbivorous browser that belongs to the order of the Perissodactyla. Several subspecies like the Northern White Rhino and the Eastern Black Rhino have been declared extinct in recent years, although some may survive.įor any interesting document, titled ' A Review Of Rhinoceros Horn', please click here. Because of this, rhino horn is very valuable and illegal poaching has caused rhino numbers to drop rapidly. The horn is also used for dagger handles in Yemen and Oman. Unlike other mammals of the Perissodactyla order the African Rhino species lack front teeth and rely on their lips to tear off grass or leaves while their molar teeth grind food.Īlthough rhino horn is made of keratin, the same material as in hair, it's thought to be an aphrodisiac and a cure for pretty much everything in traditional Chinese medicine. Rhinos have 1 or 2 horns, have a thick skin made of collagen arranged in a lattice structure and have a relatively small brain. All rhinos are herbivores, but some are specialised in browsing, while others are grazers. All species can weigh more than a ton with the White Rhino being the second largest land mammal weighing up to 2,700 kg. The Rhinoceros belong to the few remaining mega-fauna surviving today and are characterised by their large size. The Black Rhino and the White Rhino are native to Africa, while the Indian Rhino, Sumatran Rhino and the Javan Rhino occur in Asia. The Rhino, officially Rhinoceros, is one of the six surviving species of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae of the Perissodactyla. Downloadable Fact Sheet: All About Rhinos

Physical description western black rhinoceros