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Priority Species

Rhinos

African rhinos

Poaching crisis

Our solutions

Black rhinoceros

White rhinoceros

Black rhinocerosConservation efforts have seen gradual population increases after a long

and devastating period of hunting and poaching.

Even so, black rhinos remain critically endangered, with strong demand for

rhino horn posing a constant threat to small populations.

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World Rhino Day, 22 September

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Key FactsCommon Names

Black rhino, hook-lipped rhinoceros; Rhinocéros noir (Fr); Rinoceronte negro (Sp)

Scientific Name

Diceros bicornis

Location

From Cameroon in the west to Kenya in the east, and south to South Africa

Status

Critically Endangered

More...

© Michel Gunther

Population

4,880 individuals as of Feb 2013

Physical description

The black rhinoceros has two horns, and occasionally a third small posterior horn. The anterior

horn is longer than the posterior, averaging 50cm long.

The species is distinguished from the white rhino by a prehensile upper lip (hence the alternative

name of hook-lipped rhino), which it uses to feed on twigs of woody plants and a variety of

herbaceous plants.

Size: 800-1,400 kg.

Colour: Dark yellow brown to dark brown or dark gray.

Living in deserts, grasslands and montane forests

Black rhinos are mainly found in grassland-forest transition zones, but are present in habitats

ranging from desert in south-western Africa to montane forests in Kenya.

The species is usually restricted to areas within about 25km of water sources. Black rhinos can

often be found in mud or water wallows, where they cool themselves.

Social structure

Adult black rhinos are mostly solitary, although they may form groups of 12 individuals. Mother

and daughters may stay together for long periods of time, while females that do not have

offspring join a neighbouring female.

Conflict usually arises when outsiders enter an area already utilized by a clan. During courtship,

conflicts over a female may result in the death of one of the competing males.

Life cycle

Black rhino calves begin to wean at about 2 months of age. Although females reach sexual

maturity at 4-5 years, they do not have their first calf until they are 6.5-7 years old. Males need

to wait until they are 10-12 years old before they can claim a territory and mate. Black rhinos

may reach 40-50 years of age.

Breeding

Breeding is reported to occur throughout the year. The gestation period is between 419 and 478

days, with an average interval of 2.5-3.5 years between calves.

Diet

The black rhino feeds on woody twigs and legumes, and a wide variety of plant species, with a

predilection for acacias. Sleeping usually occurs at midday, and animals feed mostly during the

early morning and in the evening. When water is available the rhino will drink every day. Mineral

licks are visited regularly.

HABITATMajor habitat type

Tropical and Subtropical Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands; Deserts and Xeric

Shrublands

Biogeographic realm

Afrotropical

Range States

Cameroon, Kenya, Ethiopia, Namibia, South Africa, Rwanda, Swaziland, Tanzania,

Zimbabwe, Zambia (re-introduced), Botswana (re-introduced).

Geographical Location

Eastern, central, western, and southern Africa

Ecological Region

East African Acacia Savannas, Central and Eastern Miombo Woodlands, Namib-Karoo-

Kaokoveld Deserts, Sudanian Savannas

Population & distribution

Previous population & distribution

Black rhinos were once found throughout sub-Saharan Africa with the exception of the Congo

Basin. Even though they are largely solitary animals, they were once so plentiful that it was not

unusual to encounter dozens in a single day.

However, relentless hunting by European settlers saw their numbers and distribution quickly

decline. By the end of the 1960s, they had disappeared or mostly disappeared from a number of

countries, with an estimated 70,000 surviving on the continent.

The poaching epidemic that started in the early 1970s effectively eliminated most black rhinos

living outside conservation areas, and severely reduced numbers in national parks and

reserves. During the late 1970s and in the 1980s, numbers decreased by 40–90% in some

regions.

In 1981 only 10,000-15,000 remained, and since 1980 the species has probably disappeared

from Angola, Botswana, Chad, Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique,

Somalia, Sudan, and Zambia.

More on the rhino poaching crisis

In 1993, only 2,475 black rhinos were recorded. However, overall populations had stabilized by

this time, largely due to significant population increases in South Africa and Namibia that offset

mortalities elsewhere. Since 1996, most of these populations have continued to show modest

increases.

Current population & distribution

Thanks to successful conservation and anti-poaching efforts, the total number of black rhinos

has grown to about 4,838.

The species is currently found in patchy distribution from Cameroon in the west to Kenya in the

east, and south to South Africa. However, almost 98% of the total population is found in just 4

countries: South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Kenya. And of these countries, South Africa is

the stronghold with approximately 40% of the total wild black rhino population.

There are four recognized subspecies:

Southern-central black rhino (D. b. minor): Inhabited a historic range from central Tanzania

through Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique to northern and eastern South Africa; now

found in South Africa (stronghold) and Zimbabwe, with smaller numbers remaining in

southern Tanzania and reintroduced to Botswana, Malawi, Swaziland and Zambia. Currently

the most numerous subspecies. Classified as Critically Endangered.

South-western black rhino (D. b. bicornis): More adapted to arid and semi-arid savannahs.

Range once included Namibia, southern Angola, western Botswana, and south-western and

south-eastern South Africa; now only occurs in Namibia (stronghold) and South Africa.

Classified as Critically Endangered.

East African black rhino (D. b. michaeli): Historic distribution from south Sudan, Ethiopia,

Somalia through Kenya into north-central Tanzania; current stronghold is Kenya, with smaller

but growing numbers in northern Tanzania. Classified as Critically Endangered.

West African black rhino (D. b. longipes): Once occurred across most of the savannahs of

West Africa; by the beginning of the century reduced to only a few individuals in northern

Cameroon. An extensive 2006 survey failed to find any evidece of the animals and none has

been found since. Classified as Extinct.

© Mauri Rautkari / WWF-Canon

RESOURCES

Report on rhino status, conservation and trade (PDF)

© naturepl.com / Andy Rouse / WWF

What are the main threats?

Hunting

European hunters were responsible for early declines. Finding rhinos easy prey, there are

common accounts of killing five or six in a day, to be eaten or simply for amusement.

European settlers, arriving in the early 20th century to colonize and establish farms and

plantations, continued this senseless slaughter: most regarded rhinos as vermin, to be

exterminated at all costs.

Poaching

Poaching of African rhinos for their horns escalated from the 1970s, and remains the greatest

threat to black rhinos.

More on the rhino poaching crisis

More on wildlife trade

Political instability and wars have greatly hampered rhino conservation work in Africa, notably in

Angola, Rwanda, Somalia and Sudan. This situation has exacerbated threats such as trade in

© Kes & Fraser Sm ith / WWF-Canon

rhino horn, and increased poaching due to poverty.

Habitat loss

Habitat changes have also contributed to population declines, although this is a secondary

threat after poaching.

In southern Zimbabwe, privately owned rhino conservancies have been invaded by landless

people, reducing safe habitat for two large black rhino populations and increasing the risk of

poaching and snaring.

More on habitat loss and destruction

Between 1970 and 1992, 96% of Africa's remaining black rhinos were killed when a wave of

poaching for rhino horn rippled through Kenya and Tanzania, continued south through

Zambia's Luangwa Valley as far as the Zambezi River, and spread into Zimbabwe.

WHAT IS WWF DOING?

Recent success in black rhino conservation are heartening, but a lot of work remains to

bring the population up to even a fraction of what it once was – and ensure that it stays

there.

WWF is working to protect the black rhino and increase its numbers by:

Expanding existing protected areas and improving their management

Establishing new protected areas

Improving security monitoring to protect rhinos from poaching

Improving local and international law enforcement to stop the flow of rhino horn and other

illegal wildlife trade items from Africa to other regions of the world

Promoting well managed wildlife-based tourism experiences that will also provide

additional funding for conservation efforts.

» WWF African Rhino Programme

» Black rhino range expansion project (WWF-South Africa)

» Work in Kruger National Park, South Africa

» Work in Namibia

How you can help

Don't buy rhino horn products! Illegal trade in rhino horn is a continuing problem, posing

one of the greatest threats to rhinos today.

Donate towards much-needed anti-poaching equipment and support for rangers across

Africa.

South Africans / Residents of other countries

Donations will go towards:

binoculars

radios

night-vision gear

bullet-proof armour

rhino tracking

camping equipment

training for guards

All money received will go towards rhino conservation.

Spread the word! Click on the button to share this information with others via email or your

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VIRTUAL GIFTS

CONTENTS

Physical description

Habitat & ecology

Population & distribution

Threats

What WWF is doing

What you can do

DID YOU KNOW?

Black rhinos use communal dung heaps, sometimes scraping their feet therein and leaving a scent as they

travel about.

There are 4 subspecies of black rhino, although they all look very similar.

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INFOGRAPHIC

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wwfint/7884702350/sizes/o/in/photostream/

The WWF Wildlife Crime Scorecard report selects 23 range, transit and consumer countries from Asia and Africa

facing the highest levels of illegal trade in elephant ivory, rhino horn and tiger parts.

TRAFFIC is a joint programme of WWF and the World Conservation Union (IUCN) that monitors the global wildlife

trade. TRAFFIC also works in close co-operation with CITES.

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