Priority Species: Rhino of South Africa

WARNING! Blog post contains pictures of poached rhino and may upset sensitive readers.

Up to date much has been written about the rhino poaching crisis in South Africa. By the end of September, more than 700 rhino had been poached in South Africa, which is more than was lost in total in 2012. Experts estimate that by the end of the year more than 1000 rhino could be poached for their horn.

But how much do you really know about these prehistoric-looking creatures?

There are five species of rhino left in the world, two of which are found in South Africa. These two species can broadly be divided into the Black Rhinoceros and the White Rhinoceros. Both of these species are endangered and face extinction should poaching continue to escalate at current levels. Many fear that due to dwindling numbers and a lack of genetic diversity, it may already be too late to save the rhinos from extinction. However the white rhino was once brought back from the brink of extinction after intensive conservation efforts. At the time these efforts were commenced, there were only 50 individuals left in the wild. Today, there are over 20 000, while current estimates place the black rhino population at approximately 5000.

 Both the black and the white rhino have two horns. The white rhino is one of the largest land mammals, second only to the elephant. Rhinos live up to 35 years in the wild and have been known to live up to 40 years in captivity. White rhinos can reach a height of up to 1.8m and can weigh between 1800kg and 3000kg. The black rhino is slightly smaller, growing to a height of 1.6m and weighing between 900kg and 1350kg.



One of the easiest ways of distinguishing between these two species is by looking at the shape of their lips. Black rhino are browsers and have a prehensile, pointy upper lips as to facilitate the plucking of fruit, leaves  and foliage from trees and shrubs while white rhino are grazers with large, square lips to assist them cutting and eating grass. White rhinos therefore live in savanna grasslands while black rhino prefer more dense vegetation as their habitat and can often be found between thick thorn bushes. Black rhinos have been known to be the shyer of the to species, as well as more aggressive than the white rhino.


While their skin may be tough and very thick, rhinos enjoy wallowing in mud. Not only does this cool them down on hot days, but the mud also acts as a protective layer which acts as a barrier against insects and the harsh rays of the African sun. This is especially true of the white rhino who spends a lot of time in the sun. The black rhino is protected by the thorny underbrush that it prefers as habitat, as well as the fact that it is largely nocturnal.

Rhino have been known to reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour, although they are only able to maintain this speed for very short amounts of time. It is therefore not surprising that a group of rhinos is collectively known as a crash of rhinos, just as a group of lions is known as a pride. This collective noun seems to be self-explanatory!
They are more agile than they look though, and can change direction rapidly. This gracefulness, as well as the fact that they look like they are always walking on their toes, have earned them the nickname of "Nature's Ballerinas".

Rhinos have a 16 month gestational period and pregnancies usually result in a single calf. This calf will drink from the mother for one to two years, but remain under her care for up to five years. Apart from time that the female spends with her calf, both male and female rhinos are solitary and very territorial.

While rhino are equipped with keen hearing and a superb sense of smell, they have very poor eyesight. White rhino cannot see further than 20m. This is one of the reasons why they are dangerous, as they have been known to charge indiscriminately at unknown shapes; these may include game viewers, other rhinos, elephants and even trees! Unfortunately this also makes them very easy prey for poachers, as often, depending on the ind, one can literally walk right up to this creature. This was the case with the rino pictured below, who was wallowing in a mud pool when she was shot by poachers.

Rhino horn grows up to 8cm every year, and there have been reports of rhinos with horns of over 1.5m long. It is for these horns that they are poached, as Asian cultures believe that the ground up rhino horn has medicinal properties, curing from fevers to hangovers and cancers, from food poisoning and impotence.  Rhino horn, however, is made of keratin, which is the same substance as our own fingernails and hair. Despite widespread research there is no evidence that rhino horn has any medicinal value - no more than chewing your nails! The rhinos use their horns to defend their territory against other rhinos, but also to protect themselves and their calves against predators such as lions. Some common conservation tactics in South Africa include dehorning the rhino, as well as injecting a toxic substance into the horn. While this poison does not affect the rhino, it will affect any person who ingests the horn.

DNA barcoding will be particularly useful in the identification of rhino horn. Due to how recognisable the horn is when smuggled as a part, many traffickers have now taken to grinding up the horn before transportation. With the help of Barcode of Wildlife Project and DNA sequencing, customs officials will now be able to successfully identify unknown powders or chips as coming from endangered species.

To raise awareness about the poaching crisis, World Rhino Day is celebrated annually on 22 September. The rhino is represented in South African currency and can be seen on all R10 notes. Rhino protection campaigns began in the 1970s, but despite widespread conservation efforts their numbers continue to decline drastically. Trade in rhino parts is forbidden under the CITES agreements, however it is still legal to hunt rhinoceros professionally in South Africa with the relevant permits.
Rhino are listed under CITES Appendix 1 which means that no commercial trade is allowed.

Follow the link below to read more about the top 10 reasons why you should be concerned about the extinction of the rhinoceros : http://www.savetherhino.org/support_us/donate/ten_good_reasons_to_save_rhinos

To read more about the use of rhino horn in tradition Chinese medicine, click here: http://www.savetherhino.org/rhino_info/threats_to_rhino/poaching_for_traditional_chinese_medicine