Southern White Rhino
Big 5 Safari Guide: Rhinoceros
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Perissodactyla (Odd-toed Ungulates)
Family: Rhinocerotidae (Rhinoceroses)
Genus and Species: Ceratotherium simum simum
Name: "Rhinoceros"
The Southern White Rhinoceros, also known as the Square-Lipped Rhino, may be named from the Afrikaans (Dutch Settlers) word for “wide” (wid), referring to their broad mouths and wide lips and not the colour of their skin.
Appearance of White Rhinos
Southern White Rhinos are easily recognisable by their large size and impressive hump on the back of their neck. Their wide square upper lip is an adaptation for their grazing diet.Â
The largest of the two remaining African rhino subspecies (white rhinoceros and black rhinoceros), the southern white rhino is also the most common and widespread subspecies of rhinoceros in the world.
Despite their name, they are actually grey in colour, and the name “white” is believed to have come from the Afrikaans (Dutch) word for “wide,” referring to their broad mouths and wide lips. Although bigger in size, they have shorter legs and a longer snout than their Northern White Rhino counterparts.
The Size of White Rhinos
The largest African rhino species alive today, Southern White Rhinos are truly enormous land animals.
Shoulder Height:
- Male: 1.5 – 1.8 meters (4.9 – 5.9 feet)
- Female: 1.4 – 1.6 meters (4.6 – 5.2 feet)
Body Length:
- Male: 3.3 – 4.2 meters (10.8 – 13.8 feet)
Weight:
- Male: 2,000 – 2,300 kilograms (4,400 – 5,070 pounds)
- Female: 1,600 – 1,700 kilograms (3,530 – 3,750 pounds).
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Despite their bulk, these giants are surprisingly agile and can reach running speeds of up to 50 km/h (31 mph) when threatened.
Rhino horns are made of keratin, similar to our hair and nails. Their horns are used for defence against predators and for dominance against competing males.
The Diet of Southern White Rhinos
As strict grazers, Southern White Rhinos spend much of their day feeding on grasses and fresh shoots. Their wide, flat lips and strong neck muscles make them efficient “lawnmowers of the savanna,” trimming vegetation and helping shape the ecosystem. This grazing behaviour benefits countless smaller species by maintaining open grasslands and preventing bush encroachment.
Location and Habitat
Native to Southern Africa, nearly 99% of Southern White Rhinos live in the savannas of Kenya, Namibia, and Zimbabwe, with the vast majority found in South Africa. White rhinos prefer areas with tall grasses and some scattered trees or shrubs, allowing for the best grazing opportunities while still being able to keep a look out for predators and potential threats.
Southern White Rhino Behaviour
Southern White Rhinoceroses are semi-social animals. Females tend to live in loose herds of up to a dozen individuals, while males are more solitary.Â
Did you know that rhinos have surprisingly poor eyesight? They rely heavily on their other senses to navigate the world. In fact, their hearing and scent capabilities are excellent!
Their large ears can swivel to pick up on distant sounds, and their powerful sense of smell helps them find food, detect predators, and even recognise other rhinos.
With a preference for new grass shoots and morning dew, white rhinos are most active during the cooler mornings and early evenings, spending the heat of the day resting in mud wallows or finding shelter under the shade of trees.
Mud wallowing also helps to cool them down and is thought to help protect their skin from parasites.Â
Challenges and Threats
Southern white rhinos have one of the most successful conservation stories, with numbers rebounding from near extinction due to poaching.
Led by dedicated game rangers in South Africa and KwaZulu Natal, white Rhinoceros populations in Southern Africa rebounded thanks to significant conservation efforts and innovative breeding programmes which oversaw their successful return to sustainable numbers during the 1960’s and 1970’s.Â
However, they are still classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN, with their populations drastically declining each year due to increased threat from poachers and the illegal trade of rhino horn.
It is strongly believed that the drastic decline of rhino populations in Asia, and following the recent extinction of the Northern White Rhino, that poachers have begun targeting Southern Rhinos with increased focus. In the last decade, over 9 415 South African rhinos have been lost to poaching.Â
What are rhino horns made of?
Both male and female rhinos have horns made of keratin – the same substance as human hair and nails. Horns are used for defence against predators, to assert dominance during fights, and to protect calves. Tragically, this natural feature has also made them a prime target for illegal poaching.
Territory and Habitat
Southern White Rhinoceroses don’t have well-defined territories. Herds may range over large areas, and their movements are determined by food and water availability. However, due to threats from poaching and human settlements, rhinos are contained within the borders of national parks, private game reserves, and independent game farms.
Male rhinos are solitary creatures, with their main purpose being to defend their territories and to mate with females. The territories of mature males vary from just over 3 square kilometres (1 square mile) in areas with dense vegetation to about 60 square kilometres (35 square miles) in open savannas and grasslands.Â
A rhino’s territory is marked by gauges in trees and stumps (made from rubbing their horns against), scent markings and, most conspicuously, by creating large dung piles called “middens”.Â
These middens may be a couple of metres in size. Hard to miss, they are approached and sniffed by most passing rhinos, but only the dominant male will defecate and scatter his latest addition to the pile with his hind feet.Â
Horn rubbing in the pile is also common. A white rhino territory may have 20 to 30 middens located around its boundaries. Scientists think that middens might act as a localised “mailbox” or “guest book”, allowing all the rhinos in an area to keep track of who is in the neighbourhood, as well as alert males of the reproductive state of any passing females.
Also read: Save the Rhino, Africa’s Keystone Species
Breeding and Family Groups
Did you know that a group of rhinos is called a “crash”. Southern White Rhinoceroses can breed year-round. Gestation lasts about 16 months, and a single calf is born. At birth, calves already weigh around 40–65 kg (88–143 lbs) and are surprisingly strong and active.
Young rhinos remain with their mothers for up to 3 years, learning essential survival skills and staying under her constant protection. This close bond gives calves the best chance of survival against predators and helps ensure the continuation of the species.
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions About Rhinos
According to Saving Private Rhino, there are an estimated 15 940 southern white rhinos left in the wild. With more than half of South Africa’s rhino population, approximately 8000 rhinos, living in privately owned reserves and independent game farms.
The Javan Rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus) is the most endangered of all rhino species.
Fewer than 80 individuals survive today, all confined to Ujung Kulon National Park in Java, Indonesia.
They are critically endangered due to habitat loss, poaching, and their extremely small population size, which makes them vulnerable to disease and natural disasters.
Unlike African rhinos, Javan rhinos have only a small single horn (or none at all in females).
Closely behind are the Sumatran Rhino (fewer than 50 left) and the functionally extinct Northern White Rhino (only two females remain, with assisted reproduction the only hope).
Rhinos are surprisingly vocal creatures! They have a whole repertoire of sounds they use to communicate with each other. Here’s a breakdown of their vocalisations:
- Grunting and snorting: This is a common sound rhinos make, used for various purposes. It can show annoyance, agitation, or even be a greeting between rhinos.
- Bellowing: This loud, deep sound is a sign of aggression. Rhinos use it to warn others away from their territory or during fights.
- Mooing: Believe it or not, rhinos can make a sound similar to a cow’s moo! Mothers use this gentle sound to communicate with their calves.
- Whistling: This high-pitched sound might surprise you. Rhinos use it when they’re feeling anxious or nervous.
Sadly, rhino horn is priced only on for its black market value, particularly in Asia and North Africa. This value is completely false. Rhino horn is made from keratin, the same natural material as your fingernails and hair, and has no medicinal benefits or special properties.
Over short distances and at a sprint, rhinos can run up to 50 kilometres per hour (35 mph).
Rhinos are generally considered crepuscular animals, meaning they are most active during the dawn and dusk hours. Some studies have even suggested that grasses may be more nutritious and easier to digest in the mornings due to dew collection.
It’s important to remember that white rhinos are powerhouse-grazers. So, various factors like the time of year (season), avoiding predators, droughts, and even access to water sources, will influence the time of day rhinos are most active at.Â
Baby rhinos are called calves / singular: calf.
There are 5 rhino species:
African: White rhino and Black rhino
Asian: Indian (or Greater One-Horned), Javan, and Sumatran rhinos
While both species are iconic members of Africa’s Big Five, their appearance, behaviour, and feeding habits differ significantly.
White Rhino (Ceratotherium simum)
Size: The largest African rhino, with males weighing up to 2,300 kg (5,070 lbs).
Lips: Wide, square-shaped upper lip perfectly adapted for grazing on grass.
Diet: Primarily grazers, feeding on abundant grass in open savannas.
Social Behaviour: More social than black rhinos, often seen in loose herds (crashes) of females and calves; males are generally solitary but tolerate overlapping territories.
Temperament: Calmer and less aggressive, making them relatively easier to observe on safaris.
Black Rhino (Diceros bicornis)
Size: Smaller and more compact, weighing up to 1,400 kg (3,100 lbs).
Lips: Pointed, hooked upper lip adapted for browsing leaves, shoots, and shrubs.
Diet: Browsers, feeding mainly on shrubs, small trees, and woody plants rather than grass.
Social Behaviour: Mostly solitary, with adult males aggressively defending territories. Females may associate with calves or small groups but rarely form large herds.
Temperament: Known for their aggressive and unpredictable nature, especially when threatened or surprised, making them more dangerous to approach.
Rhinos have poor eyesight, but they make up for it with an excellent sense of smell and hearing, which help them detect danger and find food.
Rhinos typically live 35-50 years in the wild and slightly longer in captivity with proper care.
Black rhinos: More territorial; males often defend territories
White rhinos: Less territorial; females have overlapping home ranges
Yes! Rhinos can swim, but they generally prefer wallowing in mud or shallow water rather than long-distance swimming.
Rhinos generally stay within home ranges, which vary from 5-20 km² for black rhinos to 50-100 km² for white rhinos, depending on food and water availability.
Rhinos are large herbivores with impressive appetites, though the amount they eat depends on the species and diet type.
White rhinos (grazers): Eat about 50–70 kilograms (110–155 pounds) of grass per day.
Black rhinos (browsers): Eat slightly less, around 20–50 kilograms (44–110 pounds) of leaves, shoots, and branches per day.
They spend a large portion of the day feeding, often 12–16 hours, to meet their energy needs.
Rhinos have a fascinating symbiotic relationship with oxpeckers (often called “tick birds”).
For the rhino: Oxpeckers perch on their backs and eat ticks, parasites, and dead skin, which helps keep the rhino healthier. They also act as early warning systems — when oxpeckers sense danger, they make alarm calls that alert the rhino.
For the oxpecker: The bird gets a steady food source and a safe perch.
Rhinos use their horns for several important purposes in their daily lives:
Defence: Against predators like lions, hyenas, or crocodiles (though adults are rarely threatened).
Fighting: Especially males, who use their horns to establish dominance and compete for mates.
Foraging: Rhinos sometimes use their horns to break branches, dig up roots, or scrape bark when feeding.
Protection of calves: Mothers defend their young with their horns.
Social behaviour: Horns can also play a role in displays of strength during territorial disputes.
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Dehorning is a conservation method where a rhino’s horn is safely removed by wildlife vets to protect it from poachers. The procedure is painless (done under anaesthetic) and the horn gradually grows back, much like human fingernails.
Although it doesn’t harm the animal, dehorning is not a perfect solution – rhinos still need protection, and their horns play a role in natural behaviour. It’s used mainly as an anti-poaching measure in high-risk areas.
Dehorning is partly effective – it makes rhinos less attractive to poachers, but it’s not a complete solution. Poachers may still kill dehorned rhinos for the small horn that remains, and the horns grow back over time, meaning the procedure must be repeated. It works best alongside strict anti-poaching patrols and secure protection measures.
A rhino’s skin is incredibly tough, measuring about 1.5 to 5 cm thick (up to 2 inches) depending on the species and body area. Despite its thickness, it’s sensitive, with a network of blood vessels and nerve endings – which is why rhinos wallow in mud to protect their skin from sunburn, parasites, and insect bites.
World Rhino Day is celebrated every year on 22 September. It’s a global event that raises awareness about rhino conservation and the threats they face from poaching and habitat loss.
African rhinos:
White rhino: Southern Africa – South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Kenya; prefer open savannas and grasslands.
Black rhino: Eastern and Southern Africa – Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, South Africa; favour bushland, scrub, and savanna.
Asian rhinos:
Indian (Greater One-Horned) rhino: Northern India and Nepal; mainly in tall grasslands and floodplains near rivers.
Javan rhino: Java, Indonesia; tropical rainforest.
Sumatran rhino: Small pockets in Indonesia; tropical rainforest and mountainous forest.
Rhinos generally need ample food, water, and cover for protection, which is why they are often found in national parks, wildlife reserves, and private game reserves where conservation measures are in place.