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Black Rhino Facts

29 11:56:35

Black Rhino Facts






     Black Rhinoceros Introduction

The name of the Black Rhinoceros is quite misleading. They are actually going to be gray, white, or brownish in color. The name was actually given to them though to help make a clear distinction between them and the White Rhinoceros species.

Black Rhino Description

The Black Rhinoceros has a hooked lip and a very large body. On average they span 11 feet in length. They can weigh from 1,800 pounds to more than 3,000 pounds. They feature two horns that grow on the top of the head. The front horn can be almost five feet long. The other one is much smaller with a size that is around two feet.

These Rhinoceros are known to have a smaller head and smaller ears than the White Rhinoceros. The fact that they have a smaller head is why they don't have that hump on their backs.

Black Rhino Distribution

Africa is the location where you will find the Black Rhinoceros in their natural setting. You will find them living along the Savannahs. They may be in the woodland areas or on the plains. Some areas where they live include Kenya, Zimbabwe, and Tanzania.

Black Rhino Behavior

The Black Rhinoceros typically spends its time alone. The females with young though will often spend their time in the same area. They have found that there is safety in numbers when it comes to protecting their offspring. The males almost always are alone from the time they leave their mothers until they die. The exception is when they are looking for females to mate with.

The Black Rhinoceros isn't as territorial as other species. They often have a home range that will bring them into contact with each other. If there is a lack of food or water though they can become more aggressive in fighting for those available resources.

Black Rhino Diet and Feeding

The diet of the Black Rhinoceros consists of a variety of plants and grass. They also eat from thorny bushes and tree branches. They will consume bark as well as a variety of seasonal fruits that grow on the trees or plants. They do need water to survive but often go for several days at a time without it.

Black Rhino Reproduction

Mating can take part during any time of the year. However, it is more common during the rainy season. The males will use their horns to fight with each other for access to the females that are ready to mate. The stronger males are the ones that will get the right to be with those females.

The pair will often spend a couple of weeks together before the male goes either to look for another female or back to his home range. Approximately 15 months later the female will give birth. They usually weigh about 100 pounds when they are born. The baby will drink milk from the mother's body. They will also be introduced to plants a couple of weeks after being born.

Black Rhino Conservation

In July of 2006 the World Conservation Union declared one subspecies known as the West African Black Rhinoceros as being extinct. There are still three remaining subspecies with plenty of efforts in place to offer them as much protection as possible. Stopping the illegal poaching of these Rhinoceros is something that has to be done for conservation to be effective.

Large numbers of them continue to be killed due to a lack of enforcement of the laws in place. The fact that humans continue to destroy the natural territory of the Black Rhinoceros is also a serious problem. They need lots of room to explore and the chance to find large amounts of food.