12/11/2022 0 Comments White rhinoceros![]() ![]() Adult males typically defend their territories and roam with small groups of female rhinos and their calves. They are an important part of the ecosystem! They need to feed on a daily basis but can survive for 4 to 5 days without water. The white rhino is a grazer with a large front horn and can often be found grazing on short grass in the open plains of the savanna. However, some exciting advancements have been made with scientists and conservationists successfully creating nine northern white rhino embryos to use for in vitro fertilization. There are now only two female northern white rhinos left, Najin and Fatu, both living at Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya heavily protected by armed guards. In 2018, the last remaining adult male northern white rhino named Sudan passed away. Sadly, the northern white rhino is on the brink of extinction and considered critically endangered. There are two genetically distinct white rhino subspecies, the northern white rhinoceros (scientific name: Ceratotherium simum cottoni) and the southern white rhinoceros (scientific name: Ceratotherium simum) found in different parts of Africa. The white rhino is also known as the square-lipped rhino and is the larger of the two African species ( black rhino, white rhino). There are many different theories as to where the term ‘white’ came from, but the most common one is that it is derived from the Afrikaans word for ‘wide’, describing the white rhino's wide mouth and upper lip. Despite its name the white rhino is not actually white at all, its skin is grey in colour. The white rhino is one of the two rhino species found in Africa and the second-largest land mammal on earth.
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