The Black rhino, although it may look large and menacing, is actually a rather gentle herbivore. Reports of enraged rhinos charging and attacking humans are greatly exaggerated and we’ll tell you why right here.
The Black Rhino’s Habitat
The Black rhino exclusively calls Africa home between all points east, west, north, and south. It prefers the grasslands both tropical and subtropical, eastern savannas, central deserts and shrub lands of the continent.
Black rhinos are spread across the African states of Cameroon, Kenya, Ethiopia, Namibia, South Africa, Rwanda, Swaziland, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. The mammals have recently been reintroduced to areas in Zambia and Botswana in an effort to increase its habitat range.
Lifestyle of the Black Rhino
Black rhinos roam the grasslands and deserts of Africa feeding on grass and leaves with the help of a prehensile lip and pointed mouth. There are no teeth at the front of their mouths so they must grind food with their back molars.
Once daily a crash (herd) of rhinos visits a watering hole. It is during this water break that the Black rhino is most vulnerable although it has few natural predators.
Human poaching is the animal’s greatest threat. A favourite pastime is rolling around in the mud along the edge of the water hole to relieve their skin of insects.
A Black rhino generally lives to the age of 40 or 45 years old. Females bear only one baby at a time after a gestation period of 15 months. Their offspring weigh 40 to 64 kilograms at birth. Females reach maturity around age five whilst their male counterparts are not considered mature until age seven or eight.
More About the Black Rhino
A rhinoceros is one of the largest herbivores on earth today. They are generally 150 to 175 cm tall as measured at their shoulders and three and a half to nearly four meters in length.
Their bulky bodies tend to weigh anywhere from 850 to 1,600 kg although the females are smaller than the males. The Black rhino sports two horns, the topmost of which is generally 50 cm long but can grow up to 140 cm.
Just like other rhinos, the Black rhinoceros has a large head and thick legs supporting its broad chest. Whilst their hearing is excellent, their eyesight is exceptionally poor. This is usually why rhinos have been reported to charge someone – they want to get a closer look at the invader in their territory. Even with their huge size, a Black rhino can reach speeds of 64 kilometres per hour when running.
All subspecies of the Black rhino are considered at critical risk for survival. Take a look at why Black Rhinos are so endangered, or find out more about the Black Rhino Conservation Efforts.