Black Rhinoceros

Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Perissodactyla Family: Rhinocerotidae Genus: Diceros Species: D. bicornis Distribution Map Conservation Status: Critical

The Ngorongoro crater is one of the best places in Africa to spot a black rhino in their natural environment. A population of around 20 individuals inhabits the relative safety of this wildlife paradise -indeed, it's one of the last populations to successfully breed in the wild. These magnificent animals, protected from poaching by armed rangers 24 hours a day, are most likely seen in the area between the Lerai Forest and the Gorigor Swamp. In the Serengeti, a smaller population (12 rhinos) inhabits the Moru Kopjes area, though it's much harder to get a glimpse of this group.

The impressive and prehistoric-looking black rhinoceros is a solitary animal that lives in the eastern areas of Africa including Kenya, Tanzania, Cameroon, South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe. Sadly, this wonderful animal of the Perissodactyla order is on the endangered species list due to excessive poaching for their horns, which are mostly used in dagger handles as a symbol of wealth in many countries.

An adult black rhino stands 1.5 m high at the shoulder and is anywhere from 3 to 3.65 m in length. An adult weighs from 1,000 to 3,000 lb (454 to 1362 kg), with the female being smaller. Its most legendary feature, the larger horn, can be 70cm long. Both horns on the skull are made of keratin; occasionally, a third smaller horn may develop. Skin colour depends more on local soil conditions and their wallowing behaviour than anything else, so many black rhinos are typically not truly black in colour.

The black rhinos are smaller than white rhinos and have a hooked and prehensile upper lip, which they use to eat leafs and twigs. White rhinos have square lips used for grazing grass. The black rhino can also be recognized from the white rhino by its smaller skull and ears and its more pronounced forehead. Black rhinos also do not have a distinguishing shoulder hump like the white rhinos.

Adults are solitary in nature but come together for mating, with the females accompanying their young during the rearing period. Sometimes, mothers and daughters may form small groups. The females mature between four and six years of age while the males take a little longer, between seven and nine years. Mating does not have a seasonal pattern but live births tend to be towards the end of the rainy season in drier environments. A new born (calf) averages 85 pounds (38 kg) after a 15-16 month gestation period, and can follow its mother around after just three days. The young are a favourite target of hyenas and lions. Generally, females produce calves every two to three years. The lifespan for black rhinos is between 25 to 40 years but they can live up to 50 years in captivity.

The pointy prehensile lip, used for feeding from twigs of woody plants, is the black rhino's most distinguishing characteristic. There are four subspecies of the black rhinoceros, the one found in Kenya being the East African (Diceros bicornis michaeli), which had a historic distribution from south Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia down through Kenya into north-central Tanzania. Today, its range is limited primarily to Tanzania and the Mara.

Black rhinos show an aggressive disposition that discourages most predators (but not, alas, human poachers). The animal's nearsightedness seems to urge the rhino to charge first and investigate later.

The black rhinoceros is a herbivorous browser that eats leafy plants, branches, shoots, thorny wood bushes and fruit. Their diet helps to reduce the amount of woody plants which results in more grasses growing for the benefit of other animals. Their skin harbours many external parasites, which are eaten by tickbirds and egrets that live with the rhino.

For most of the 20th century the black rhino was the most numerous of all rhino species. Around 1900 there were probably several hundred thousand living in Africa. During the latter half of the 20th century their number severely reduced to a historical low of 2,410 in 1995. According to the International Rhino Foundation, the population has since then slightly recovered to 3,610 by 2003.

With excerpts from Wikipedia's Black Rhinoceros page. Photo by eismcsquare, displayed under a Creative Commons licence.

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