寿命
15 to 20 years in the wild40-50 years under human care
15 to 20 years in the wild40-50 years under human care
Grass
Savannah grassland
AfricaCentral and southern regions
A huge animal that feeds exclusively on grass, the white rhino has a wide mouth shaped for ‘mowing’ short grass. Its square lips set it apart from the hook-lipped black rhino.
Like horses and tapirs, rhinos have a simple stomach. Bacteria in their digestive tract help them digest the 60-80kg of vegetation they eat a day.
Our rhinos are fed pellets and leaves on top of grass. Keepers scatter these on the ground to suit their grazing habits. Fruits are given as treats.
Rhinos wallow in mud to cool off, so keepers make sure the big mud pool in the exhibit is always filled. Dried mud also acts as sunscreen for the rhinos.
In the wild, tickbirds pick out ticks and other parasites hiding among the creases in the rhino’s skin. Local birds, however, go as far as to peck on our rhinos’ flesh - a problem also faced by other zoos. Our keepers check their charges daily for any open wounds, applying medicine and rubbing mud over for added protection.
White rhinos mark their territory using communal dung piles (middens). Males step on and kick their faeces around to warn off other males. Males can also tell if females are ready to mate with a whiff of the midden.
Courtship disputes are settled with a clash of horns. Sadly, these horns are no defence against poachers’ guns. Alike to a mass of compacted hair, rhino horns are strangely prized for medicinal and ornamental uses and worth more than gold on the black market.
I joined the Zoo in 1984. I started at the show, working with the reptiles, orangutans and chimpanzees. But I was restless.
Back then, it was a challenge to breed rhinos. I wanted to give it a go, so I requested to work with them. I’ve been with them ever since.
近危
在不久的将来可能成为易危物种
近危
在不久的将来可能成为易危物种
近危
在不久的将来可能成为易危物种
《IUCN 濒危物种红色名录》被普遍认为是全球最全面客观评估动植物种群保育级别的标准性文件。
Unknown risk of extinction
灭绝风险相对较低
在不久的将来可能成为易危物种
在野外面临高灭绝风险
在野外面临很高的灭绝风险
在野外面临极高的灭绝风险
仅存活于人工养殖环境
野外与人工养殖环境均无存活个体