Lifespan in the wild is 35-50 years, and in managed care settings extends to 45 years. Females may stay with the mother longer than three years. Calves are weaned at about two and a half years but may remain with the mother up for two to three years until the next calf is born. After a gestation of 15-16 months, females give birth to a single calf weighing 75-110 pounds (35-50 kg), which the mother raises on her own. Life Cycleįemales are mature at about five to six years males at seven to eight years. Males are primarily solitary and territorial, but recent studies have found that females and sub adults can be fairly social and share ranges. Social Organizationīlack rhinos have been identified as solitary animals for many years, with the exception of mating pairs and females with calves. Although it is illegal, humans continue to hunt rhinos, primarily for their horn, which can be sold for a high price on the black market. They also eat grasses and bark.Īt the zoo: A specially formulated herbivores pellet diet, hay, browse, and produce such as lettuce, apples, and banana for enrichment and training What Eats It?Ĭalves can fall prey to lions and hyenas. In the wild: Black rhinos are browsers which means they feed on twigs, branches, leaves and shrubs. They have a prehensile, pointed upper lip.They have a large head, short neck and short, thick legs. The larger anterior horn can average 1.5 feet (0.5 m) long. The skin of the black rhino is dark gray or dark brown, not black.They stand 60-63 inches (152-161 cm) at the shoulder.When the time comes for breeding, rhinos find each other by following the scent of their intended mate for miles. A rhino’s best senses are hearing and smell.They can break off or wear down, but will grow back over time since they are a mass of keratin (the same material as hair) perched on a roughened area of the skull. Rhino horns are primarily used for protection.Rhinos walk on their toes! They have three toes with a soft pad under the toes that help cushion their enormous weight.Mud helps keep biting insects away and protects skin like sunscreen. They can get insect bites and even sunburn, so rhinos need access to shade and mud. Rhinos have t hick but sensitive skin.They have a prehensile lip which they use to grasp and strip leaves and bark from woody plants.
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