The Endangered Black Rhinoceros
The Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis), despite its name, is actually gray in color. This critically endangered species is distinguished from its white rhino cousin by its hooked upper lip, used for grasping leaves and branches. Once widespread across Africa, their population has declined by over 97% since 1960 due to poaching, with only about 5,500 remaining in the wild today.
Physical Characteristics
- 🦏 Size: Weighs 800-1,400 kg (1,800-3,100 lbs), stands 1.5-1.8m at shoulder
- 🦏 Horns: Two horns made of keratin (front horn averages 50cm, can grow to 140cm)
- 🦏 Prehensile lip: Hooked upper lip acts like a finger to grasp vegetation
- 🦏 Thick skin: 1.5-5cm thick, arranged in plate-like layers
- 🦏 Poor eyesight: Can't see stationary objects beyond 30m but excellent hearing/smell
Behavior & Ecology
Black rhinos are solitary browsers with fascinating behaviors:
- Most active during dawn and dusk (crepuscular)
- Create communal dung piles ("middens") for communication
- Territorial males mark boundaries with urine and feces
- Can run up to 55 km/h (34 mph) despite bulk
- Wallow in mud daily to protect skin from sun/insects
- Have complex social interactions despite solitary nature
Diet & Feeding
As browsers, black rhinos feed on over 200 plant species:
- Prefer small trees, shrubs, and herbs (especially acacia species)
- Consume 50+ kg of vegetation daily
- Can survive 4-5 days without water when necessary
- Use their lips to selectively choose the most nutritious leaves
Their feeding habits help maintain ecosystem balance by preventing bush encroachment.
Conservation Challenges
- Poached for horns (worth more than gold by weight on black market)
- Habitat loss due to human encroachment
- Slow reproduction rate (15-16 month gestation, single calf every 2.5-4 years)
- Successful conservation efforts in some areas (population increased from 2,500 in 1995)
Remarkable Facts
- Horns grow up to 8cm per year
- Can live up to 40 years in wild
- Have been observed playing with other animals
- Mothers are extremely protective of calves
- Can sleep both standing and lying down
- Have poor eyesight but 360° hearing
- Ancient relatives were woolly rhinos of Ice Age
- Make 10+ distinct vocalizations
IUCN Status: Critically Endangered • Population Trend: Increasing in Protected Areas
