SOUTH-WESTERN BLACK RHINO | HOOK-LIPPED RHINOCEROS Swartrenoster – diceros bicornis occidentalis
The southwestern black rhino is a subspecies of black rhinos found in northern Namibia and southern Angola. It has also been imported into South Africa. The biggest threat to this subspecies is poaching. It is often mistakenly identified as either the extinct southern black rhino (D. b. Bicornis) or the south-eastern subspecies (D. b. Minor).
An adult black rhino has a shoulder height of 140-180cm with a body length of 3-3.75m. A fully grown rhino usually weighs between 800 and 1,400kg. There have, however, been reports of unusually large male specimens weighing between 2,199 and 2,896kg. Female rhinos are smaller than their male counterparts. The two horns on their skull consist of keratin, with the larger frontal horn typically being 50-140cm long. The longest known black rhino horn measured nearly 1.5m. These rhinos live 35—40 years in the wild. A black rhino can achieve a speed of up to 50km/h. The black rhino is usually portrayed as the most aggressive of all rhino species and is a solitary animal.
Black rhinos occur in a wide range of habitats, from the desert regions of Namibia to the wooded areas. The largest density of rhinos is found in savannas on nutritious soil and in valley bushveld areas. Black rhinos are leaf eaters and prefer small Acacias (thorn trees) and other tasty woody species (Grewias and Euphorbiacea species, to name a few.) as well as edible herbs and succulents. Due to their high levels of secondary plant chemicals, the leaves from many bushy plants (especially evergreen species) in specific areas are unpalatable to rhinos.
Captured by: DANIE FERREIRA www.danieferreira.com
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