The Five Species of Rhino
Cindy, the Louisville Zoo's white rhino.
The white rhino model at the Robot Zoo.
There are five main species of rhinoceros living today that inhabit a wide range of regions across the globe. Below you'll find a short description of each, as well as what zoos they can be found at in the U.S.
White Rhino
Affectionately named the "square-lipped rhino", this species is further classified into Northern and Southern rhinos, based on the African regions they inhabit.
Population Status: Southern white rhinos have semi-stable populations, but Northern white rhinos have been declared Critically Endangered. There are only six known animals remaining in the wild today.
Fun Facts: White rhinos have hair only on their ears, eyelashes and the tips of their tails and two horns on their nose. They have broad lips for grabbing grass (hence the square-lip nickname) which allow them to graze for food.
White rhinos are social animals but typically live in small groups (called crashes) of up to six. They communicate mostly through sounds, which range from squeaks to snarls to wails.
Where to see one: White rhinos are plentiful in the midwest region. The Louisville Zoo houses a single white rhino, and the Toledo Zoo, Knoxville Zoo and The Wilds at Columbus Zoo all have at least one. If you'd like to stay in the Cincinnati area, check out the Robot Zoo at the Boone County Public Library. The large rhino model shows the mechanics of the rhino's anatomy, and shares fun facts.
Black Rhino
The black rhino actually has the same skin color as the white rhino, but differs in size. It's the smaller of the two species, and is classified based on the regions of Africa it inhabits.
Population status: Endangered; Western black rhinos were declared extinct in 2011. Black rhino numbers, which used to fill Africa, have been decimated by poaching over the last century. Their numbers are slowly recovering, but seeing a black rhino in the wild is now a rare treat.
Fun facts: Like white rhinos, black rhinos have two horns on their noses, but unlike white rhinos they browse for their food. These "hook-lipped" rhinos mostly live in eastern and southern Africa. and can be both solitary and social creatures. When marking their territory, black rhinos will often rub their heads on rocks or trees to release their odor from glands on their skin. These animals are extremely fast and have been clocked at speeds of 55 km/hr.
Where to see one: The Cincinnati Zoo houses at least one black rhino. as well as the Columbus Zoo and the Cleveland Zoo, which has five black rhinos.
Greater One-Horned Rhino
The Greater One-Horned Rhino, or the Indian Rhino, has a distinctive armor-plated appearance. This species lives in India and Nepal, although they once roamed freely in floodplains and forests around Asia.
Population status: Endangered. Indian rhinos are killed for sport and for their horns, which are rumored to have healing powers. While they are strictly protected by both India and Nepal, poaching is still a very real threat for these animals.
Fun facts: These Asian mammals are quite good swimmers, and can both dive and feel underwater. They have a strong sense of hearing and smell, but their eyesight tends to be more short-sighted. Like other rhino species they communicate through sound, but have a more extensive oral language.
Where to see one: The Wilds at the Cleveland Zoo hosts Indian rhinos, as does the Cincinnati Zoo.
Sumatran Rhino
This rhino is sometimes called the hairy rhino, because it has a shaggy coat covering its skin. It's by far the smallest species of rhino, weighing between 1,000-2,000 lbs. As their name suggest, they originate in southeast Asian countries such as Sumatra, Indonesia and Bhutan.
Population status: Endangered. Like other rhinos, the Sumatran rhino is poached for its horn. In fact, the rhino is completely extinct in the wild in some nations, but efforts are being made to boost the population. Their numbers dropped to about 200 in 1995, but scientists hope to bring this to at least 2,000.
Fun facts: Sumatran rhinos are the closest living relatives of the woolly rhino, which lived during the Ice Age. Like the Indian rhino, Sumatrans have strong lower incisor teeth, as well as a strong sense of smell. They enjoy salt licks and hanging out in mud holes, which protect them from insects and help regulate body heat.
Where to see one: The only Sumatran rhino in North America (and by extension, in the Western hemisphere), was Harapan at the Cincinnati Zoo. But on Oct. 31, 2015, Harapan went to a rhino sanctuary in Indonesia to join others of his kind. Today he is happily living in peace and is well looked after.
Javan Rhino
The Javan Rhino, or the Lesser One-Horned Rhino, lives on the islands of Indonesia. It's similar in size to the black rhino, which makes it a larger species, although it's still not as large as white rhinos. These animals used to live throughout Southeast Asia, but exist in a very small region today.
Population status: Endangered. These species, like the rest, are hunted for their horns, but other threats to their growth include limited space and inbreeding. Javan rhinos used to populate Vietnam, but were declared extinct there in 2011. According to the World Wildlife Foundation, they are the rarest mammals on the planet, with only 60 left in the wild today.
Fun facts: While not much is known about these mammals (because there are so few), Sumatran rhinos are pretty similar to Indian rhinos in several ways. Only males have horns, which do not get very big, and females have what looks like a large bump on their nose. These forest animals inhabit more tropical environments, and at one time might have shared a habitat with Indian rhinos. They also find salt sources as a part of their diet, and have been seen drinking seawater. From observations, they seem to spend most of their time in mud holes.
Where to see one: Because Javan rhinos are so rare, they no longer exist in captivity. The last captive rhino lived in the Adelaide Zoo in Australia, and died in 1907. During its lifetime it was actually labeled as a Greater One-Horned Rhino.
Bowling for Rhinos
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If you're a better bowler than me (and you probably are), you should check out the Cincinnati Zoo's Bowling for Rhinos event on Oct. 17. For $30 you can bowl from 6:30-8:30 p.m. to raise awareness for the five rhino species: Javan, Indian, Sumatran black and white. You can also participate in a raffle, silent auction and t-shirt sale.
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Harapan Heads Off
This first post is in honor of Harapan, the western hemisphere's one and only Sumatran rhino. Harapan will be sent from his current home at the Cincinnati Zoo to join his species at the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary in Indonesia. I wish Harapan safe travels as he travels to be with his brother and others of his species. Sumatran rhinos have officially been declared extinct in Malaysia but with the breeding program at SRS, that fate will hopefully change.
Learn more about Harapan and this new chapter of his life from the Cincinnati Zoo.
Learn more about Harapan and this new chapter of his life from the Cincinnati Zoo.
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