Black Rhinoceros

Black Rhinoceros, scientifically named as Diceros bicornis, is the third-largest rhinoceros present. The black rhinoceros is one of the two African species. At the present juncture, the rhinoceros are facing extinction at an increasing rate. There are various projects launched in order to save this endangered species. 

In this context, we bring up the topic of Black Rhinoceros. We will excavate information and study this animal in detail in terms of its description, diet, reproduction, taxonomy, the population left, and other such interesting facts. 

Black Rhinoceros

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Black rhinos do not get their name just for the reason they are black, rather they get this name to differentiate between black rhinos and white rhinos. In fact, if concentratedly seen, Black rhinos are not totally black! Like the eastern black rhinos are not black - they are actually grey! 

Weight of the male and Female Rhinoceros

The black rhinoceros generally weigh between 700 to 1,300 kg (this weighs 1,500 and 2,900 measured in pounds). The males are the same size as the females. It stands 1.5 meters (which is 5 feet) high at shoulder level and they are 3.5 meters (which is 11.5 feet) long. 

Where do they exist?

The black rhinoceros’ live in a large variety of habitats, which includes plain lands, sparsely scattered thorn scrubs, thickets, savannas, and dry forests. They might as well line in the mountain forests and in the moorlands at higher altitudes. In fact, these rhinos will stay wherever they find succulent plants, like euphorbias. Black Rhinoceros are experts in living in drier habitats, as they can survive without flowing water. 

Quite moody

Black Rhinoceros are quite ill-tempered and very unpredictable. They may charge any unfamiliar sound or smell. 

Talking about the 1900s

The black rhinoceros originally were found abundantly from Cape of Good Hope to the southwestern part of Angola and they were spread throughout eastern Africa, Somalia, parts of Ethiopia, and Sudan.  They continued their extension westward through the northern savanna zone of Lake Chad, Northern Cameroon, Northern Nigeria, and even in Guinea.  In the times of 1900s, over 1 billion black rhinos were estimated to have existed in these regions.  

What caused their extinction?

Brutally poaching these innocent animals has reduced the total black rhinoceros’ population to about 2,400 by the year 1995, and thereby the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources listed this species as a critically endangered one.

Still in vain

Credit to all the conservation efforts, for which the population number of the black rhinoceros became approximately 5,600 by the end of 2018. Now, the black rhinoceros are predominantly found in parks and reserves. Even after many conservation projects for the black rhinoceros, the future of these animals is rather bleak.

Diet of the Black Rhinoceros

The Black Rhinoceros are herbivores animals. They eat only plant matter like:

• grasses 

• shoots

• leaves

• fruits

• berries

• buds

These rhinos can be both grazers and browsers. They mainly eat from the ground, bushes, shrubs, and trees. The Rhinos have evolved the specialist mouths for their different styles of eating. For example, the black rhinos have quite long, pointed lips for browsing on the foliage, whereas the white rhinos have broad and flat lips for grazing the ground.

Rhinoceros with Human Beings 

We human beings are responsible for their extinction and some becoming endangered species. Rhinos are illegally hunted for their horns, which are used in traditional medicines, their horns are also in dagger handles and in showpiece decorations. 

Death Trap set by merciless poachers

Although the rhinos are large, tough, and even aggressive, they are quite easily poached as they fall into the trap of their drinking behaviour. 

This is done by - they visit the water holes daily, while they are drinking water and get distracted by that process, they are easily and mercilessly killed by cruel poachers. This poaching activity has led to endangering all of the five species of rhinos, some of them are very close to extinction.

Reproduction of the Black Rhinoceros

During the time of courtship, the males and females often fight which causes serious injuries to each other with their horns. After mating, the pair of rhino separates. A single baby is born (known as a “calf”). The calf is born after a pregnancy of 14 to 18 months. Although the calves begin to eat vegetation several days after being born, they still continue to drink milk from their mother rhino for up to one year, before leaving her completely after the completion of 3 years. The female rhinos produce a calf only once after every 2-5 years.

Western Black Rhino 

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The Western black rhinoceros (is known as Diceros bicornis longipes, scientifically) is also known as West African black rhinoceros. They are now an extinct species under the black rhinoceros. Western Black Rhino was declared extinct by the IUCN in the year 2011. The western black rhinoceros was genetically different from other rhino in its subspecies. This rhino was once widespread in the savanna of sub-Saharan Africa. Their numbers declined due to limitless poaching. The western black rhinoceros resided mainly in Cameroon. 

Taxonomy

This subspecies of western black rhino was named Diceros bicornis longipes by Ludwig Zukowsky in the year 1949. This refers to the subspecies with long distal limb segments, which have many special characteristics. The other distinct features of the western black rhino included the square-shaped horn, which was the first mandibular premolar which was retained in the adults, that simply formed the crochet of the maxillary premolar, and these premolars commonly possessed the crista. 

The population of this species was first discovered in Southwest Chad, of Central African Republic (CAR), in North Cameroon, and in Northeast Nigeria.

The western black rhinoceros comes under one of the three subspecies of the black rhinoceros which became extinct in historical times, while the other two were the southern black rhinoceros and the north-eastern black rhinoceros.

Description of the Western Black Rhinos

The western black rhinoceros measured approximately 3 to 3.75 m (which is 9.8–12.3 ft) long, having a height of 1.4 to 1.8 m (which is 4.6–5.9 ft), they weighed around 800–1,400 kg (this is 1,760–3,090 lb). The western black rhinos had two horns, the first horn which measured 0.5–1.4 m (which is 1.6–4.6 ft), and the second horn measured 2–55 cm (which is 0.79–21.65 in). 

Common Diet

Like all other Black Rhinos, these western black rhinos were browsers, their common diet consisted of leafy plants and shoots which were present in their habitat. During the early morning or in the late evening, they would browse or search for food.

Inhabited Sub-Saharan Africa 

During the hottest parts of the year, they slept or simply wallowed. The western black rhinos inhabited much of sub-Saharan Africa.

Horns believed in having medicinal values

It was believed that their horns possessed medicinal value, this belief led to heavy poaching of these rhinos. However, this belief of the locals has no basis in terms of scientific fact. 

Eastern Black Rhinoceros

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The scientific name of Eastern Black Rhinoceros is Diceros bicornis michaeli. They belong to Class ‘Mammalia’. In order of Perissodactyla. Their range starts from Eastern Africa. They thrive in a habitat of transitional zones which is between grasslands and forests.  

Physical Description of Eastern Black Rhinoceros

The Eastern black rhinoceroses stand up to five feet high at shoulder length, expanding 12 feet in length, they weigh up to 3,000 pounds, they have two fibrous keratin horns. They are a herbivorous browsers, the black rhinos primarily eat leafy plants, branches, shoots, even thorny wood bushes, and fruit. 

Reproduction of their young ones

Mating is non-seasonal and their gestation period lasts from 15 to 16 months, after which a single calf is born. The newborn rhinos weigh about 75 pounds and they become active soon after their birth.

Indian Rhino

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In this section, we will discuss Indian Rhino:

• The Indian Rhino has a single horn that is present in both genders.

• In Asia, the Indian Rhino is the largest one.

• Indian Rhino is an excellent swimmer.

• Indian Rhinos can run up to 55km/hr for short intervals. 

• They have a superb sense of hearing and smell. 

• Their average height is 170 cm, weigh around 1800 to 2800 kg. While a female weighs 1600 kg. 

Habitat and distribution of Indian Rhinos

The preferred habitat liked by an Indian rhinoceros is alluvial flood plains and the areas which have tall grasslands that are present along the foothills of the Himalayan Region. The rhinos are extensively distributed in the Gangetic plains, while today the species is restricted to small habitats mainly in the Indo-Nepal terai and in northern West Bengal, and also in Assam. In India, rhinos are mainly found in - Kaziranga National Park, Jaldapara National Park and Garumara National Park in West Bengal, and Dudhwa TR in Uttar Pradesh. They are also found in Pobitara Wild Life Sanctuary, Manas National Park, Orange National Park in Assam.

Population of Rhinos

The western black rhinoceros was heavily hunted down at the beginning of the 20th century, but after the population rose in the 1930s the preservation actions were taken. As the protection efforts declined over the years, a number of western black rhinos disappeared. By the year 1980, The rhinoceros population was counted in hundreds. No western black rhinos were captivated. However, in the year 1988, approximately 20 to 30 rhinos were being kept for the purpose of breeding.  Poaching mercilessly continued. 

The western black rhino was a sub-species of the black rhino. For much of the 1900s, its population was the highest out of all the rhino species approximately 850,000 individuals. There was a 96% population decline in the black rhinos, this included the western black rhino. It was chalked out that poaching is the reason which caused the decline in the number of Rhinos, apart from this, the farmers killing the rhinos in order to save their crops also led to the decline. 

The sub-species – Eastern Black Rhinos were then declared officially extinct in the year 2011. They were last recorded in 2006 in Cameroon.  Thereby, the rhinoceros’ population in the entire world declined strikingly. 

Given below is the rhinoceros population data which is been recorded currently: 

Javan rhino population – 74 left.

Sumatran rhino population - less than 80 left.

Black rhino population - 5,366 - 5,627 left. 

Greater one-horned rhino population - 3,588 left

White rhino population - 17,212 -18,915 left

Did You Know?

1. The Black rhinos have poor eyesight but they have an excellent hearing capability.

2. Rhinoceros is actually a Greek word. ‘Rhino’ which means ‘nose’ and ‘ceros’ meaning ‘horn’.

3. Rhinos run on their toes. Phew! That is a lot of weight to carry.

4. Well, the saying is true: Rhinos do have thick skin, but they too get sunburnt.

5. Black rhinos are the third biggest among the other five types of rhinos.

6. The name for a group of rhinoceroses is called “crash,” or a “herd”.

7. Rhinos are illegally hunted for their expensive horns, which on the black market sell at the price of gold on a weight basis.

8. Despite their size, the rhinos can run quickly, maximum up to 30 mph (which is 48 kph).

9. The horns of the black rhinos can grow as much as 3 in. (which is 8 cm) a year and may grow up to 5 ft (which is 1.5 m) long.

The Black rhinos as studied became an endangered species as declared by IUCN. Different Rhino saving projects are launched, stringent measures are taken against poachers, the National Parks do take all measures to provide safety, yet the future of this creature is dim. 

Now, we can only spread awareness and stop poaching and showing cruelty towards animals.