Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) lives in open savanna across Sub-Saharan Africa. It feeds on grasses and leaves. Its conservation status is Critically Endangered.
Fascinating facts about the Black Rhinoceros
- Only a few thousand black rhinoceroses remain in the wild, with the IUCN estimating exactly 3,142 mature individuals. This tiny population places the species in the critically endangered category, even though the south-western subspecies is listed as near threatened. The assessment highlights poaching and habitat reduction as the principal dangers facing the remaining animals.
- The longest recorded black rhinoceros horn measured nearly 1.5 m, far exceeding the usual size of most horns. Typically the larger front horn is about 50 cm long, but exceptional individuals can develop horns up to 135.9 cm. These keratin horns serve several purposes: they are employed for defence, intimidation of rivals, and even for digging up roots or breaking branches while feeding.
- Adult black rhinoceroses stand between 1.32 and 1.8 m at the shoulder and measure 2.8-3.75 m in length, weighing normally from 800 to 1,400 kg. Some unusually large males, however, have been recorded at a massive 2.9 t, illustrating the species' potential for extreme size. Their front horn, usually about 50 cm, can also reach extraordinary lengths of up to 135.9 cm in rare individuals.
- The black rhino's pointed, prehensile upper lip lets it grasp leaves and twigs, a stark contrast to the white rhino's square, grass-cutting lips. This specialised mouth enables the black rhino to browse woody vegetation rather than graze.
Sources
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At a glance
RangeSub-Saharan Africa
HabitatOpen savanna
DietGrasses and leaves
About the Black Rhinoceros
In the scorching savannas, the black rhinoceros moves with a deliberate slowness, its massive, armor-plated form gliding effortlessly across the grasslands as it searches for the tender shoots and leaves that sustain it. With a prehistoric presence, this majestic creature navigates its world with a quiet confidence, its sensitive lips and nimble feet a testament to its remarkable adaptability in a landscape of thorns and shadows. As it disappears into the darkness of the acacia woods, its very existence seems a fleeting miracle, a reminder of the fragile beauty that still clings to our endangered earth.
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Black Rhinoceros photographed on Feravox
