WHITE RHINOS

"SQUARE-LIPPED RHINOS"

One of two species of African rhino, white rhinos are the most populated of all five rhino species, although their numbers have plummeted in the last decade. They can be found in several range states across Africa, although about 98% of the entire population is concentrated in South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Kenya, and Eswatini (formerly Swaziland).

White rhinos are the larger of the two species of African rhino and the world’s second-largest land mammal after elephants. They have the most complex social structure of all five species of rhino and are less aggressive than their black counterparts.

Easily identifiable by their large square or long mouths, which lends them the nickname of “square-lipped rhino”, the white rhino isn’t actually white, but grey. There are several theories as to where their names are derived. The most popular is thought to be a mistranslation of the Afrikaans word “weit” which means wide (referring to the wide muzzle and not their colouring as was once thought).

Facts

Scientific name

• Ceratotherium simus

Sub-species

• Southern white rhino (Ceratotherium simus simum)

• Northern white rhino (Ceratotherium simus cottoni)

Conservation status

• Southern: near threatened (IUCN Redlist - last updated 2012)

• Northern: functionally extinct

Population (estimates)

• Southern: 17,464 individuals (as of Sept 2024)

- The below populations by country are correct as of 2021 unless otherwise stated.

- Angola: 3

- Botswana: 242

- Democratic Republic of Congo: 20

- Eswatini: 98
- Kenya: 873
- Mozambique: 14
- Namibia: 1416
- Rwanda: 30
- South Africa: 13,991 (as of end of 2023)
- Uganda: 35
- Zambia: 8
- Zimbabwe: 417

• Northern: 2 females (Najin & her daughter Fatu live at Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Kenya)

Population increase/decrease

• The southern white rhino population has plummeted approximately 24% since 2014

• 4 northern white rhinos have died in the last 9 years. Suni and Sudan, the last 2 northern males died in 2015 and 2018 respectively at Ol ejeta Conservancy, Kenya. In 2015 females Nabire and Nola died in zoos in the Czech Republic and San Diego

• SANParks' annual report 2021/22 shows a 79% loss of white rhinos in Kruger National Park, South Africa since 2011. According to National Geographic the estimated number of white rhinos in the park is 2250

Current range, habitat & diet

• Current range: Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa, one of the only countries in the world to allow private ownership

- In November 2021, 30 white rhinos were translocated to Rwanda by African Parks in the largest ever single translocation

- As of 2022, 19 southern whites were reintroduced to Zinave National Park, Mozambique. Translocations (of white and black rhinos) are proving successful, as the park welcomed its fourth rhino calf in September 2023

- In 2023, 76 white rhinos will be relocated from South africa to the Garamba National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

- In September 2023, non-profit African parks acquired 2000 rhinos from controversial breeder John Hume for the purpose of rewilding them

• Habitat: Long and short grass savannah and shrubland

• Diet: More efficient at shearing grass than an electric lawnmower, white rhinos spend most of their days grazing. They can eat up to 55kg of food (almost exclusively grass) each day and draw enough water from their diets to forgo drinking for 4-5 days

Historic range

• Southern white rhinos roamed large swathes of southern Africa, including South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, where they became extinct around 40 years ago before being reintroduced in 2022. They could also be found in north African countries including Kenya and Uganda

• Northern white rhinos were once found in southern Chad, southwestern Sudan, Central African Republic, northwestern Uganda and Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the last known sighting of 4 individuals was in the Garamba National Park in 2006

Average lifespan

• 35 - 40 years in the wild or 50 years in captivity. Toby, the oldest captive southern white rhino, died at the age of 54 in 2021 at Parco Natura Viva zoo, Verona, southern Italy

Physical characteristics

• Their vision is poor. About a 10th as good as the average person

• They have a well developed sense of hearing and can hear noise frequencies lower than the average human

• Average walking speed: 1.9-2.4 mph

• Average trotting speed: 18 mph

• Males can charge up to 24.8 mph (for short distances)

• Female weight: 1,800-2,000 kg

• Female height (to shoulder): 1.6-1.8 m

• Female body length: 300-400 cm

• Tail length: 70-100 cm

• Male weight: 1,800-2,500 kg

• Male height (to shoulder): 1.7-1.9 m

• Male body length: 360-420 cm

• Tail length: 70-100 cm

Reproduction

• First birth: 6.5-7 years

• Gestation: Approximately 16 months

• Birth numbers: Single calf

• Calf birth weight: 40-70 kg

• Eating solids: 2 weeks to 1 month

• Weaned: 12-16 months

• Birth interval: 2-3 years

• Female sexual maturity: 4-5 years

• Male sexual maturity: 10-12 years

Social characteristics

• White rhinos are the most socialable of the five rhino species and have complex social structures

• Although not unusual to see lone individuals, females often live in social groups up to 15

• Although adults have no natural predators, their young are vulnerable to attacks. Females can often be witnessed, grouped in a circle to protect their young.

• Males can be social, but spend the majority of their time alone

• Rhinos have a complex range of visual, audible and olfactory communication, including snorts, wheezes, squeals and pants, foot pounding, horn prodding and ritualised defecation in the form of middens which are communal dung heaps used like a social network

Rhino horns

• Unlike tusks, which are teeth, and antlers, which are bone, rhino horn is made of keratin

• Horns grow approximately 7cm a year

• Rhino horns are worn through general wear and tear or by an intervention known as de-horning (the partial removal of horns as a deterrent to poaching)

• Front horn length: 94-101cm

• Rear horn length: Up to 55 cm