# White Rhinoceros (*Ceratotherium simum*) The white rhinoceros is a large, gentle giant with a big horn on its nose. They love to eat grass and can be found in open areas like savannas. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate - **Habitat:** Grasslands and savannas - **Also known as:** Square-lipped Rhinoceros ![White Rhinoceros](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771424445/objects/4530.jpg) ## Appearance The White Rhinoceros has a massive, grey body with a distinctive broad, flat mouth perfect for grazing. Its two prominent horns, the front one longer than the rear, curve slightly backwards, and it has a noticeable hump on its neck. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Perissodactyla - **Family:** Rhinocerotidae - **Genus:** Ceratotherium ## Interesting facts - A group of rhinos is called a 'crash' – imagine a crash of giant beasts running towards you! - Despite their massive size, white rhinos are surprisingly quiet, often moving silently. - They love wallowing in mud, which helps cool them down and protect their skin from bugs! - White rhinos aren't actually white, they're grey! Their name might come from a mistranslation. ## Special abilities - **Super Sniffer:** White Rhinoceros can navigate and find food because of their excellent sense of smell, making up for poor eyesight. - **Hearing Aid Ears:** White Rhinoceros can hear danger from far away because their tubular ears can rotate independently to pick up sounds. - **Grazer's Mouth:** White Rhinoceros has a wide, flat mouth that helps them efficiently graze large quantities of grass close to the ground. - **Thick Skin Armor:** White Rhinoceros has incredibly thick skin that protects them from scratches, thorns, and sun exposure. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 340-420 cm - **Weight:** 1800-3600 kg - **Lifespan:** 40-50 years - **Speed:** 50 km/h - **Litter Size:** 1 - **Gestation:** 450-480 days ## Diet & Feeding These gentle giants are herbivores, munching mainly on grass all day long. - **Primary Foods:** short grass, medium grass, sedges - **Foraging Method:** Grazing ## Ecological connections - **Symbiotic with:** Red-billed Oxpecker (*Buphagus erythrorynchus*) — Removes ticks from their skin. - **Eaten by:** Lion (*Panthera leo*) — Can prey on vulnerable calves. - **Eats:** Buffelgrass (*Cenchrus ciliaris*) — A major part of their diet. - **Eaten by:** [Human](https://www.snappit.app/explore/human) (*Homo sapiens*) — Hunted by poachers for horns. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Horned](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/horned): Characterized by having one or more hard, permanent, pointed projections on the head. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Savanna](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/savanna): This habitat trait denotes species native to savannas, which are grasslands with scattered trees, typically found in tropical or subtropical regions with distinct wet and dry seasons. - [Ancient Lineage](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient-lineage): This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate Always admire rhinos from a safe distance. They are big and strong, so it's best to watch them from behind a fence or in a vehicle. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify White Rhinoceros? Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is White Rhinoceros? 340-420 cm ### How much does White Rhinoceros weigh? 1800-3600 kg ### How long does White Rhinoceros live? 40-50 years ### How fast can White Rhinoceros move? 50 km/h ### What does White Rhinoceros eat? These gentle giants are herbivores, munching mainly on grass all day long. ### Where is White Rhinoceros usually found? Grasslands and savannas ### How does White Rhinoceros hunt? Grazing ## Where to spot - [Colchester Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/colchester-zoo) — England, GB · Zoo - [Cotswold Wildlife Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cotswold-wildlife-park) — England, GB · Zoo - [Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/natural-bridge-wildlife-ranch) — Texas, US · Zoo - [The Maryland Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/the-maryland-zoo) — Maryland, US · Zoo - [Zoo de la Palmyre](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/zoo-de-la-palmyre) — Nouvelle-Aquitaine, FR · Zoo - [Ellen Trout Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ellen-trout-zoo) — Texas, US · Zoo [View all places to see White Rhinoceros](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/white-rhinoceros) ## More Mammals - [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*) - [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) - [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) --- Source: [White Rhinoceros: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-rhinoceros)