A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Ceratotherium simum
It has a wide mouth used for grazing and is the most social of all rhino species. The white rhinoceros is the largest of the five species of rhinoceros and the world's largest land mammal after the three species of elephant.[16] It has a massive body and large head, a short neck and broad chest. The head and body length is 3.7 to 4 m (12 to 13 ft) in males and 3.4 to 3.65 m (11 to 12.0 ft) in females, with the tail adding another 70 cm (28 in) and the shoulder height is 1.7 to 1.85 m (5 ft 7 in to 6 ft 0.8 in) in the male and 1.6 to 1.77 m (5 ft 3 in to 5 ft 10 in) in the female.[17] Weight in this animal typically ranges from 1,360 to 3,630 kg (3,000 to 8,000 lb). The male, averaging 2,300 kg (5,100 lb) is heavier than the female, at an average of 1,700 kg
There are two subspecies of white rhinos; the southern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum) and the northern white rhinoceros. As of 31 December 2007, there were an estimated 17,480 southern white rhino in the wild (IUCN 2008), making them the most abundant subspecies of rhino in the world. South Africa is the stronghold for this subspecies (93.0%),
A popular theory of the origins of the name "white rhinoceros" is a mistranslation from Dutch to English. The English word "white" is said to have been derived by mistranslation of the Dutch word "wijd", which means "wide" in English. The word "wide" refers to the width of the rhinoceros' mouth. So early English-speaking settlers in South Africa misinterpreted the "wijd" for "white" and the rhino with the wide mouth ended up being called the white rhino and the other one, with the narrow pointed mouth, was called the Black Rhinoceros
Hi Shri, a friendly reminder that your amazing spot may be added to the Rhino mission: http://www.projectnoah.org/missions/1284...
Happy World Rhino Day!
Majestic animal! Please add your amazing pics to "Rhino Horn is Not Medicine" mission to help raise awareness!
http://www.projectnoah.org/missions/1284...
Thanks ShriPatwardhan. More common, more social plus maybe squarish lips ;-)
Kruger NP has both black (Diceros bicornis) and white (Ceratotherium simum) rhinoceroses, substantially more of the latter. Color is not really a foolproof way of identifying. "The word white in the name "White Rhinoceros" is a mistranslation of the Dutch word wijd for wide, referring to its square upper lip, as opposed to the pointed or hooked lip of the Black Rhinoceros. These species are now sometimes referred to as the Square-lipped (for White) or Hook-lipped (for Black) Rhinoceros." (Wikipedia). Unfortunately we can't see the lips in these photos...