Southern white rhinoceros

Ceratotherium simum simum

Irish Name: Srónbheannach bán deisceartach
IUCN Status: Near Threatened

The Southern white rhinoceros is one of two subspecies of white rhinoceros, the largest of the rhino species and the third largest land mammal species in the world after African and Asian elephants. Southern white rhinos can weigh up to 2,500 kg and have a wide flat mouth, thick grey skin and two horns – one large horn to the front and a smaller horn further up their nose. Their horns are made of keratin, the same material as skin, nails and hair.

Southern white rhinoceros

Ceratotherium simum simum

Irish Name: Srónbheannach bán deisceartach
IUCN Status: Near Threatened

The Southern white rhinoceros is one of two subspecies of white rhinoceros, the largest of the rhino species and the third largest land mammal species in the world after African and Asian elephants. Southern white rhinos can weigh up to 2,500 kg and have a wide flat mouth, thick grey skin and two horns – one large horn to the front and a smaller horn further up their nose. Their horns are made of keratin, the same material as skin, nails and hair.

General Information

What is Southern white rhino's natural habitat?

Southern white rhinos are found in Eastern and Southern Africa. They live on grassy savannahs (flat land with scattered trees) and shrub lands.

How long do they live?

Approximately 35 years in the wild and 40 years in zoos.

What do they eat?

Southern white rhinos are herbivores and feed almost completely on short grasses. Their flat square lips are suited to grazing on grasses.

Animal Class

Mammalia

Animal Order

Perissodactyla

Zoo Location

African Savannah

Group Name

Crash

Closest Related Species/Sister Species

The closest relative of the Southern white rhino is the Northern white rhino.

Fun Facts

Not-so-white rhino

There is actually no colour difference between the black and white rhinos species, despite their names. They are both grey in colour.
Their name comes from the Afrikaans word “weit” which means wide, referring to the shape of their mouth.

Northern white rhinos

As of 2021, there are only two remaining individuals of the other subspecies of white rhino, the Northern white rhino. The two remaining Northern white rhinos are called Fatu and Najin and are both female. The last male rhino, Sudan, died in 2018. Scientists are involved in a complicated project to save the Northern white rhino subspecies. This involves fertilising Fatu’s eggs using frozen sperm from deceased male Northern rhinos and then transferring them to a surrogate Southern white rhino at a later date, in the hope that a new Northern white calf will eventually be born.

Long horn

The Southern white rhinoceros' front horns are is on average about 60 cm long, but can grow up to 1.5 metres. The rear horn is much shorter. Rhinos’ horns are composed of keratin (the same material as skin, nails and hair) and are used as weapons against predators and to display dominance when threatened by other rhinos.

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Family Life

Southern white rhinos live in small groups of usually about 6 – but sometimes up to 14 - individuals called a ‘crash’ Due to decreasing numbers in the species the amount of individuals found in a crash of rhino is decreasing. A crash is mostly made up of females and their calves. Adult males are generally solitary (mostly live alone), meeting with females only for breeding. The males are extremely territorial – they mark their home areas using dung and defend them from other males using their horns.

Baby Name

Calf

Gestation period/length of pregnancy

Approximately 16 months

Number of young at birth

One

Weight at birth

40-60 kg

Age at maturity

6-7 years for females and 10-12 for males.

Adult size

Their head and body are approximately 3-5m long. They weigh 1800-2500kg.

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Conservation

Near Threatened

The Southern white rhino has been classified as Near Threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Current population estimate

Approximately 18,000 individuals

Threats

Poaching is the biggest threat to Southern white rhinos.
All rhino species are hunted for their horns.
Rhino horn products are seen as a symbol of wealth or success in some countries and poachers can get a lot of money by selling the horns. They are also used in Chinese medicine because they are believed to have medicinal properties, although there is no scientific evidence for this.
Like a lot of other species, Southern white rhinos are also threatened by habitat loss and political conflict in their native Africa.

What is Dublin Zoo doing?

Dublin Zoo supports the Lowveld Rhino Trust in Zimbabwe, which is involved with treating wounded and orphaned rhinos, catching poachers, monitoring rhino populations and community outreach programmes.
Dublin Zoo is also part of the European breeding programme for Southern white rhinos.

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Rhino calf runs on the African Savanna for the first time

Watch The Zoo Tonight on RTE One at 7:30pm

Tune into The Zoo on RTÉ One tonight at 7:30pm, where zookeepers Ken and John say goodbye to Jubari the rhino, who they have cared for since he was a young calf, as he is now old enough to start a herd of his own…

Publisert av Dublin Zoo Mandag 17. september 2018

Rhino Conservation

See what Dublin Zoo is doing to help rhinos in the wild
Find out more

Frequently asked questions

  • What do Southern white rhinoceros eat?

    Southern white rhinos mostly graze on short grasses. They will also eat shrubs and hay.

  • What is a Southern white rhinoceros’ horn made of?

    Their horns are made of a material called of keratin, the same material as skin, nails and hair.

  • What is the plural of rhinoceros?

    Rhinoceros, rhinoceri, rhinoceroses are all valid plural terms for the rhinoceros.

  • What is a group of rhinoceros called?

    A group of rhinoceros is called a crash.

  • What sound does a Southern white rhinoceros make?

    Southern white rhinos can make a range of different sounds including grunting, snarling and wailing

  • How fast can a rhinoceros run?

    Rhino can run up to 40 km per hour in short bursts.

  • Where do Southern white rhinoceros live?

    Southern white rhinos are found in Eastern and Southern Africa. They live on grassy savannahs (flat land with scattered trees) and shrublands.

  • What threats do Southern white rhinos face?

    Like all species of rhino, poaching is the biggest threat to Southern white rhinos.

    All rhino species are hunted for their horns.

    Rhino horn products are seen as a symbol of wealth or success in some countries and poachers can get a lot of money by selling the horns. They are also used in Chinese medicine because they are believed to have medicinal properties, although there is no scientific evidence for this. Like a lot of other species, Southern white rhinos are also threatened by habitat loss and political conflict.

  • What is being done to protect Southern white rhinoceros?

    There are a number of conservation organisations working very hard to help protect all species of rhino from poaching through monitoring, educating local communities on the value of keeping rhinos alive and trying to reduce the illegal trade of rhino horns. Dublin Zoo works with the Lowveld Rhino Trust in partnership with Save the Rhino to try and save the species through collaborative action.

  • How many toes does a Southern white rhinoceros have?

    Southern white rhinos have 3 toes on each foot.

  • Is a Southern white rhinoceros a carnivore, herbivore or omnivore?

    Rhinos are herbivores. They mostly graze on short grasses.

  • Are Southern white rhinoceros endangered?

    Southern white rhinoceros are not endangered; they are classified as Near Threatened. However, the other subspecies of white rhino, the Northern white rhino, is listed as Critically Endangered under the IUCN, with only two remaining individuals left in the world. There are four other species of rhino. The Javan rhino, Black rhino and Sumatran rhino are Critically Endangered, while the Indian rhino is classified as Vulnerable.

  • Why are Southern white rhinoceros poached for their horns?

    Rhino horn products are seen as a symbol of wealth or success in some countries and poachers can get a lot of money by selling the horns. They are also used in Chinese medicine because they are believed to have medicinal properties, although there is no scientific evidence for this

  • Do rhinoceros stamp out fires?

    This is a common myth/legend in Malaysia, India, and Myanmar but has never been proven to be true.

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