Black rhinoceros

Description:

Although this rhino is referred to as black, it is actually more of a grey/brown/white color in appearance. Skin color depends more on local soil conditions and the rhinoceros' wallowing behavior than anything else, so many black rhinos are typically not truly black in color. The black rhino is smaller than the white rhino, and has a long, pointed, and prehensile upper lip, which it uses to grasp leaves and twigs when feeding; its diet comprises leafy plants, branches, shoots, thorny wood bushes, and fruit. Their thick layered skin protects the rhino from thorns and sharp grasses. Their skin harbors external parasites, such as mites and ticks, which are eaten by oxpeckers and egrets that live with the rhino. Such behavior was originally thought to be an example of mutualism, but recent evidence suggests that oxpeckers may be parasites instead, feeding on rhino blood. Black rhinos have poor eyesight, relying more on hearing and smell. Their ears possess a relatively wide rotational range to detect sounds. An excellent sense of smell alerts rhinos to the presence of predators. Black rhinos are solitary animals.

Habitat:

This species of rhinoceros is native to the eastern and central areas of Africa including Kenya, Tanzania, Cameroon, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Angola.

Notes:

The species overall is classified as critically endangered, and one subspecies, the Western black rhinoceros, was declared extinct by the IUCN in 2011. Etosha National Park has the single-largest population of black rhinos in the world, but the actual count is kept secret so that this fact – and the population of rhinos it defines – is never threatened.