Africa is the ultimate kingdom of animals, and many people travel throughout the year to experience the safari adventure and to see the “Big Five” (African elephant, black rhinoceros, lion, Cape buffalo, and leopard), along with many other animal species.
That’s why it is the continent with the most Natural Reserves, offering the adrenaline of being on a safari and seeing these majestic animals in the wild.
In a previous blog post, you can find the most famous and visited National Parks on the continent. So, if you’re traveling soon to one of our destinations for a volunteering experience, you can engage in this activity during your free time and take home an unforgettable memory.
Today, we want to tell you about one of these animals you might encounter in the wild: the black rhinoceros.
The black rhinoceros, also known as the hook-lipped rhinoceros, is a species of perissodactyl mammal native to eastern and southern Africa. Despite its name, its color varies from gray to yellow and dark brown. It differs from the white rhinoceros in several aspects.
It is mainly found in Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, and it inhabits the African savanna.
This animal weighs between 800 and 1,400 kilograms as an adult, reaching a length between 3.5 and 3.8 meters. It has two horns, and occasionally three, made of keratin. Its upper lip is hook-shaped, which allows it to tear leaves and fruits, and its skin is thick with few hairs, forming folds.
Despite having poor vision, especially over long distances, black rhinos compensate with a sharp sense of smell and hearing. This helps them detect predators and other animals.
As adults, they become solitary animals and increase their aggressiveness, although they are herbivores, feeding on soft plants.
They are most active when the sun is not at its peak—during the night, dawn, and dusk—and can reach speeds of up to 55 km/h.
Females begin mating at around 4-5 years of age, and the gestation period lasts about 16 months. Typically, a single calf is born per birth, weighing approximately 40 kilograms. Females care for their calves for an extended period. Black rhinoceros calves stay with their mothers until they are large enough to survive on their own, which typically occurs between 2 and 3 years of age.
DIFFERENCES WITH THE WHITE RHINOCEROS
Here are some of the differences between both:
· SIZE AND SHAPE: The white rhinoceros is larger and heavier. Males can weigh between 2,000 and 2,400 kg, and females around 1,600 and 1,800 kg. It has a more robust body and a greater length, reaching up to 4 meters.
· LIP SHAPE: The white rhinoceros has wide, square lips, adapted for grazing, with a less bushy diet.
· SOCIAL BEHAVIOR: The white rhinoceros tends to be more social, especially males and females with their calves. They often form small groups, although adult males are also solitary.
· DIET: Both are herbivores, but the white rhinoceros primarily feeds on grass because the shape of its jaw allows it to easily pull up grass.
· HABITAT: The white rhinoceros prefers open areas like savannas, plains, and grasslands, where the grass is abundant and accessible. The black rhinoceros tends to inhabit more wooded areas or denser vegetation, such as shrubs, and is found in a variety of habitats, including forests and dry savannas.
· ATTITUDES TOWARDS THREATS: While it can be aggressive if it feels threatened, the white rhinoceros is generally more peaceful and tends to either flee or stay still when it senses danger. The black rhinoceros is more territorial and defensive. If threatened, it may attack with great aggression, earning a reputation for being more unpredictable than the white rhinoceros.
· COLOR: Despite its name, the white rhinoceros is not white. Its color is actually light gray, but its name comes from the English word “wide,” which refers to the shape of its lips.
Both species are crucial for the ecosystem, and their conservation is essential for preserving biodiversity in Africa.
The black rhinoceros is classified as critically endangered due to poaching and habitat loss. The population has drastically decreased in recent years, and efforts are being made to protect these animals, such as conservation programs and anti-poaching patrols. However, conservation efforts have led to a slight increase in their population, with an annual growth of 2.5%. In 2018, 5,630 individuals were counted in the wild.
It has also been a victim of poaching due to the value of its horns in traditional Chinese medicine and as material for decorative daggers. Conservation efforts include reintroducing them to areas where they had become extinct and implementing strong legal measures against poaching.
It is important to raise awareness of the situation of these animals and continue working to prevent their extinction.
And as we said at the beginning, we highly recommend that you live this experience and enjoy seeing them in the wild.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING YOU TO AFRICA!