Species Information

A one of the largest land animals, the White Rhinoceros is second only to the Elephant in size. It is distinguished by a very long head with a wide, square mouth. And a massive bump at the top of the neck.

The decline of Africa's rhinos is one of the greatest wildlife tragedies of our time. Early explorers reported an abundance of rhinos in Africa's savannas. It was not until the advent of the modern rifle and the push by European settlers into Africa's interior that the precipitous decline of rhino populations began.

The two species of African rhinoceros, the black rhino (Diceros bicornis) and the white rhino (Ceratotherium simum) have been driven to near extinction in recent years. Their futures now depend on the development and operation of effective conservation strategies at local, national, and regional levels. The black rhino is classified as Critically Endangered in the IUCN 1996 Red List of Threatened Animals.

The southern white rhino, rescued from near extinction a century ago, stands as one of the world's greatest conservation success stories. From a single population of barely 20 animals in 1885, there are now more than 8,440 in 247 wild populations, with an additional 704 animals in captive breeding institutions worldwide. Numbers continue to increase in the wild, and the white rhino is now classified as Lower Risk ­ Conservation Dependent.

Intensive conservation efforts in several African countries have helped the black rhino to increase from an estimated 2,704 in 1999 to a new total of 3,100 in 2001. Similarly, the estimated total population of the white rhino has risen from 10,405 in 1999, to about 11,670 in 2001. Overall, the updated numbers show that the total populations in all African rhino range states increased from previous estimates of 13,109 rhinos in 1999 to a new total estimate of 14,770 in 2001.

The international horn trade ban and the domestic bans imposed in most traditional user states, have driven the trade further 'underground,' in some cases inflating prices and making illegal dealing even more lucrative. The demand for horn from Asia (for traditional medicines) and from the Middle East (for dagger handles) persists and the threat of a return to large-scale poaching is ever present. Wars, civil unrest, poverty, influxes of refugees, and internal corruption within many range states combine so that poachers usually escape arrest and poverty-stricken people become poachers to survive.

Rhino horn is also in demand in some Arab nations, where it is seen as a status symbol. With increasing wealth from oil revenues, the demand for curved daggers with handles carved from rhino horn has risen over the years. Yemen and Oman remain important destinations for illegally obtained rhino horn.

In addition to such external demands, growing poverty in many African countries has fuelled a vigorous trade in illegal wildlife products. Lions have been recorded attacking rhino, especially weak and old animals and young calves, but the greatest threat to rhino's is man.

Rhino live in small groups with a dominant male, a number of cows and their calves and sub-ordinate bulls. Rhinos often range in the one area most of their lives. The huge powerful animals prefer savannah and open woodland with permanent water for bathing and drinking. Rhino also enjoy mud bathing to relieve heat and to dislodge insects. The oxpecker bird is usually found riding on the heads and backs of rhino feeding on ticks and other annoying insects.

Their eyesight may not be very good but Rhinos' senses of hearing and smell are finely tuned. These powerful animals are capable of suddenly charging at surprising speeds.sBeware!

Information source: African Rhino Specialist Group, World Wildlife Fund, IUNC, and David Ireland