Southern White Rhinoceros
(Square Lipped Rhinoceros)
CLASS: Mammalia
ORDER: Perissodactyla
FAMILY: Rhinocerotidae
GENUS/SPECIES: Ceratotherium Simum
DESCRIPTION:
Second largest land animal. Stands up to 6 feet at the shoulder, 12-16 feet in length, and weighs 5,000 to 8,000 pounds. Females are slightly smaller than males.
Rhinos are bulky, slate-gray or yellowish-brown animals with thick tough hide that alone can weigh over 650 pounds. They have hair on the fringes of their ears and on their tails. They also have very fine hairs covering their entire body.
They have 3 toes with nails on each foot and thick, spongy pads that cushoin their feet as they move. The elongated, heavy head bears 2 horns. The front one which can reach a length of 5feet is tapered and slightly curved at the tip.
It has wide, squared lips that turn upward at the ends. Young, if separated from their mothers, are prey to lions and crocodiles. Adults have no natural enemies because of their size, strength and tough skin, except humans.
RANGE:
Prehistorically as many as 30 genera of rhinoceroses existed. Now there are five. Each subspecies is endangered.
- 1.) Sumatran rhinoceros, of the forests of Burma, Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia.
- 2.) Indian rhinoceros, of India and Nepal.
- 3.) Javan rhinoceros, only in the Ujung Kulon Nature Reserve on the western tip of Java. The most ENDANGERED.
- 4.) White rhinoceros in 2 subspecies:
Northern white rhino, which is nearly extinct
Southern white rhino
- 5.) Black rhinoceros, of East Africa
There has been an overall 85% decline in the population since 1970.
HABITAT: Savannahs, open grasslands.
LIFESPAN: about 40 years.
REPRODUCTION/GESTATION:
17-18 months. Single calf, birth weight 75 to 155 pounds. Young nurses 1 to 2 years. Mature at 4 to 5 years. Breed throughout the year under favorable conditions, including herd size.
DIET: Herbivore, Grazer
WILD
Have large flat teeth for chewing the grasses that it feeds on almost exclusively, preferring types that grow in the shade. Southern White Rhinos "mow" the grass by seizing it with the lips and pulling.
ZOO
14 pounds herbivore, mineral salt, hay is freely available all day.
BEHAVIOR:
Crepuscular. Travel like other grazers in small herds of 20 to 30 animals. Have no specific territory, wander in search of food. The dung heaps may serve as a sort of "family bulletin board," telling the whereabouts of the group.
Rhinos have no sweat glands so often bathe in pools or wallow in mud to regulate their body temperature. This also helps protect them from biting flies. During the dry season, dust bathes serve the same purpose though they are not as effective.
In spite of their size, rhinos are surprisingly agile. They can gallop at speeds up to 45 MPH and do an "about face" at full speed. The horns, which are composed mainly of keratin, are used for digging, and clearing a path through the grasses. They are kept sharp by rubbing them against trees and termite hills. Horns continue to grow throughout the animal's life at a rate of about 3 inches per year.
GENERAL INFORMATION:
"Rhinoceros" is derived from the Greek meaning "nose with a peg or horn." "White" is probably a mispronunciation of the Dutch word "wijde" which means "wide."
Because of their classification, rhinos are succeptible to the same diseases that effect horses, but can also tolerate the same vaccines. In 1896 a single small herd of 20 southern white rhinos was found in an isolated area of Zululand. Because of the dedication of an American biologist, Dr. Herbert Lang, these animals were given government protection and their homeland was made into a national park. Today, more than 3,500 white rhinoceroses survive in well-protected parks and reserves. All of these animals are descendents of that one small herd.
Between habitat destruction and poaching, rhinos are mostly severly threatened, particularly by the latter. They have been slaughtered to satisfy an increasing market for their horns. About half of the horn taken is shipped to Asia where it is used as a folk medicine for all sorts of ailments from headaches to heart trouble.
Since the horn is chemically equivalent to fingernails and hooves, it has no medical value. The rest of the horn is shipped to North Yemen, where it is carved into handles for daggers called "jambias." These are highly prized by the men as symbols of their wealth and virility. Newly acquired "oil money" has enabled many more to purchase these items.
Rhino related links
Okavango Wildlife Society (OWLS)
The International Rhino Foundation (IRF)
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last revised September 29, 1998.