Top 10 facts about rhinos

1. There are 5 species of rhino in the world

These include two African rhino species - black and white rhinos. The remaining three are Asian rhino species, which include greater one–horned, Sumatran and Javan rhinos.

The Sumatran, Javan and Black rhinos are listed as ‘critically endangered’ by the IUCN - there are thought to be fewer than 70 Javan rhinos and between 34-47 Sumatran rhinos left, which makes them truly under threat of extinction in the wild. There are an estimated 6,487 black rhinos across Africa.

The white rhino is classified as 'near threatened’ with 16,803 individuals, whereas the greater one-horned rhino is currently vulnerable with 4,014 individuals in the wild.

2. Rhinos can weigh over 3 tonnes

Sumatran rhinos are the smallest of all rhinos, but they can still weigh 600kg (that’s almost 95 stone). On the other hand, white rhinos are the largest of the rhino species, weighing up to 3,500 kg. That is more than 550 stones, or well over 3 tonnes, which is mighty impressive considering they mainly eat grass and leaves.

3. Black and white rhinos are both, in fact, grey

The names of black and white rhinos are misleading – as both are actually grey. The white rhino is said to have gotten its name from the Afrikaans word for wide (‘wyd’), referring to its wide, square lip (in contrast, black rhinos have a pointy upper lip). Early English explorers mistook this word for ‘white’ and consequently named this species ‘white’ rhino, and the other ‘black’ rhino to differentiate.  

4. They’re called bulls and cows

Male rhinos are called 'bulls' and females are called 'cows'. Their young are ‘calves’. 

Females tend to be more sociable than the more solitary, territorial males. Together, a group of rhinos is called a ‘crash’. 

5. WHAT ARE RHINO HORNS MADE OF? THE SAME STUFF AS OUR FINGERNAILS

Rhino horn is made up of keratin - the same protein which forms the basis of our hair and nails. 

Javan and greater one-horned rhinos only have one horn, whereas all the other rhino species have two horns. Their horns grow continuously during their lifetime – the white rhino's horn can grow 7cm every year – and the record length is 150cm long! 

6. Rhinos have poor vision

Rhinos’ eyesight isn’t great – they would find it difficult to see a motionless person at a distance of 30m – they mainly rely on their strong sense of smell.

7. Javan rhinos are only found in one small place

Ujung Kulon National Park – a World Heritage Site – is home to the last remaining wild Javan rhinos on Earth. 

But this is a precarious place to live. An active volcano is just 50km away.  And a tsunami as high as 10m – which is projected to occur within the next 100 years – could threaten 80% of the rhinos’ territory in Ujung Kulon National Park. 

That's why establishing a safe site for another population of Javan rhinos in Indonesia is a priority. 

8. They communicate through honks, sneezes…and poo

Rhinos make an array of funny noises when they’re communicating.  

During confrontations, they growl and make 'trumpet calls'.  Black rhinos snort when they’re angry, make sneeze-like calls as alarms, scream if they’re scared and ‘mmwonk' when relaxed.   

Rhinos also communicate through their poo and urine. When rhino poo in the same place as other rhinos – an area known as a latrine – they can smell the poo and urine of other individuals, and know who's in the area.  

9. They love mud

Rhinos can often be seen rolling around in mud, giving themselves a protective 'mud coat’ to keep them cool, stop insects biting and get rid of any parasites. 

Asian rhinos are also excellent swimmers, crossing rivers with ease. But their African relatives are very poor swimmers and can drown in deep water – so they stick to wallowing in mud for a cool-down. 

10. Rhinos are under threat

The current rhino poaching crisis started to increase in 2008, with a peak of 1,349 rhinos illegally killed across Africa during 2015. With dedicated conservation efforts poaching numbers have decreased, however the threat is still severe. During 2022, 448 rhinos were illegally killed across Africa – that’s more than one every day. Poaching gangs have become increasingly sophisticated. In some cases, helicopters are used to track rhinos, and once the animals are shot with guns or tranquilising darts, their horns are removed using chainsaws, and quickly airlifted away.

Ground rhino horn is used in traditional Asian medicine for a range of ailments, from cancer to hangovers, despite having no proven medicinal properties. The horn has recently also been considered as a status symbol, particularly in Vietnam.

Habitat loss and population fragmentation are an increasing threat to rhinos, as human populations and infrastructure grows, encroaching on rhino habitat. Climate change is also a growing challenge, with extreme weather events such as drought and flooding impacting wildlife populations.