✅ White Rhinoceros - Characteristics, Diet and Behavior

" The white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simun) is one of five living species of rhinoceros, being not only one of the largest land mammals on the planet, but also the largest of the rhinoceros species. The name of these animals comes from the Greek terms rhinókerôs, where rhinó means nose and kerôs means horn. It is precisely the striking feature of their horns that has been the reason why these mammals have been hunted in an extreme way for years, which has finally resulted in an alarming instability of the species."

In this AnimalPlanet sheet, we present different aspects related to the characteristics of the white rhinoceros so that you know more.

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Origin

Africa
Congo (Kinshasa)
Republic of South Africa
Sudan
Chad

Characteristics of the White Rhinoceros

" The white rhinoceros is actually gray and it is thought that its name comes from a mistranslation or confusion, since this animal was called wijdt, which means wide and refers to the characteristic of his lips, but later it was thought to be called white, a word that is pronounced similarly to the previous one. This species is then recognized for its wide and square lips and the presence of two horns, one of which (the front face) can measure between 60 and 150 cm."

In addition, he has a skull that is long, what would be the forehead is not very pronounced and the bump is accentuated. It is large in size and can weigh up to 4 tons, making it, along with some elephants, the largest land animal. It can measure up to 4 meters in length and about 2 meters or more in height. It is hairless except for the ears and tail which are hairy. The skin is quite thick and hard, with 20 mm between the dermis and the epidermis, moreover, it can form folds in certain areas of the body.

Two subspecies of white rhinoceros are recognized:

Northern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum cottoni).
Southern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum).

They differ mainly because the former is smaller than the latter and they have different distribution areas.

White rhino habitat

The white rhino may be extinct in the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan; it is extinct in the Central African Republic, Chad and Sudan. It has been reintroduced to Botswana, Eswatini, Namibia, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Kenya and Zambia.

The habitat of the white rhinoceros is made up of ecosystems such as savannas, shrubs and grasslands. It requires the presence of water in the areas it inhabits, so it is constantly mobilized towards the banks of rivers and low areas with the presence of the liquid. In this sense, it can also be seen in dense forests, grass-covered forests and hillsides.

Habits of the white rhinoceros

This species is believed to have the most complex social structure and habits of all. They can form temporary groups of 14 individuals or less, consisting of a dominant male, females and their young.Dominant males tend to prevent females in heat from straying from their territory, which is normally between 1 and 3 km, while that of females is even larger. Perhaps this is why when they are fertile, dominant males prevent them from leaving.

A common habit among dominant males is to limit their territory with piles of manure, which they crush vigorously, only leaving them to go drinking. The white rhino is generally not aggressive, although clashes do occur between males. For their part, females with offspring become so, especially in the presence of predators. When they feel threatened, they charge at speeds between 24 and 40 km/h. A special feature is that they hit the ground hard with their feet and they all run in the same direction.

This species is not common for bathing in water, but it takes mud baths in summer and sand baths in winter.Depending on the time of year, they change their habits, being diurnal in cold seasons and crepuscular in warm seasons.

White rhinoceros diet

This is a strictly herbivorous species, feeding mainly in areas with abundant brush and short grasses. Among the plants they consume are those of the genera Panicum, Urochloa and Digitaria. Depending on availability, they consume stems, leaves, seeds, flowers, roots, fruits, and even small woody plants. Since they consume large amounts of grass, and due to their size, they are considered one of the most grazing animals in the world; in fact, the white rhinoceros is classified as a mega herbivore. The thick lips of these animals allow them to easily grasp and tear off the plant matter they consume.

Newborn white rhinos feed on their mother's milk for only a few weeks, as the mother then teaches them to start consuming soft grass until they later develop their diet food.

Reproduction of the white rhinoceros

These rhinos breed throughout the year, although with higher peaks between October and December for those in the southern region and February to June for those in the eastern region. Females frequently enter the territory of males and, if they are in heat, they will detect it by the smell of urine. The male tries for several days to mate with the female and the latter only accepts when she emits sounds affirming her desire to reproduce.

Before mating, the pair will stay together for up to 20 days. If the female tries to escape, the male will try to stop her, which sometimes leads to confrontations. These rhinos will be able to mate for about 2-5 days, after this period the female leaves the territory. Pregnancy lasts an average of 550 days and gives birth to only one baby. A female will breed again after 3 years and the cub will be independent at this time.

White rhino conservation status

The white rhinoceros species has been listed as Near Threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. However, given the significant differences between population levels, the northern subspecies is cataloged differently and is therefore considered critically endangered, while the southern one is in the same category as the species. The northern subspecies is in fact believed to be extinct in the wild, and the few extant individuals are found in protected areas.

Poaching for the illegal horn trade is the main cause of the mass slaughter of the white rhino. The horn is used for various purposes, believed to be beneficial to he alth, but also as an ornament and as part of objects of great economic value.

Key conservation actions include protecting the species in monitored areas or sanctuaries, as well as banning commercialization of the horn, and strategies between the private and public sectors that ensure stability long term of the species.