The White rhinoceros
The White rhinoceros
(Ceratotherium simum)
- Class: mammalia
- Order: perissodactyls
- Family: rhinocerotidae
- Status: near threatened
- Five species of rhino are found in the world. Three in Asia (Indian, Javanese and Sumatran rhino) and two in Africa (the black Rhino and the white rhino) .The name “White” rhino doesn’t come from the colour but from a misunderstanding with the Afrikaans name “Widje” meaning large. In fact white rhinos are grey.
- Life span : 40 years.
- Characteristics: after the elephant, the white rhinoceros is the largest animal in the African bush. This peaceful giant is almost 4 m long and 2 m tall and weighs up to 4 tonnes. It lives in small groups but the female separates from the group to give birth to an 80 kg young after a gestation period of 16 months. Meal : it is herbivorous with a broad square mouth which it uses to graze on the plains and savannah of central Africa and South Africa.
- Meal: it is herbivorous with a broad square mouth which it uses to graze on the plains and savannah of central Africa and South Africa.
- Anecdote: this specie is grey. The word White is abusively used and come from a missunderstaning between English and Afrikanners who were using the word “Widje”, standing for “large”
