Size
Height:
1.5 – 1.9 meters
(4.9 – 6.2 feet)
Length:
3 – 3.75 meters
(9.8 – 12.3 feet)
Diet
Leaves, branches, thorny bushes, shoots, legumes, grass, and fruit
Range
Black rhinoceros historic range
Black rhinoceros current range
Fact
“Cleaner birds” such as oxpeckers and egrets remove and eat ticks, insects, and parasites from rhinos’ skin.
Making A Difference
Between 1970 and 1990, 96% of the rhino population across Africa was wiped out by poachers who hunted the animal for its horns. Rhino horns, used in traditional medicine, are in high demand in the illegal market in Asia. Organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund are working with governments in Namibia, Kenya, and South Africa to monitor populations and train and equip rangers with the latest technology to aid in their anti-poaching law enforcement efforts. Zoos are also active in efforts to conserve rhino populations; 184 black rhinos live at 61 zoos worldwide. Many of these zoos have breeding programs working to conserve populations and protect the genetic health of black rhinos.
Black rhinos use their pointed upper lip to grasp and pull their food from plants.
Black rhino eating plants
