The first thing you need to know about the difference between white rhinos vs black rhinos is that their colour has nothing to do with differentiating these two rhino species. Both species are grey, but their names have stuck due to historical misinterpretations and local traditions.
The White Rhino (Ceratotherium simum)
There are two sub-species of white rhinoceros: the Southern white rhino (Ceratotherium simum simum) and the Northern white rhino (Ceratotherium simum cottoni).
Sadly, the Northern white rhino has been extinct in the wild since 2008, and functionally extinct since 2018, with only two females remaining as of 2024, both of which are under constant protection in Kenya. The Southern white rhino, on the other hand, is a conservation success story, with a population of over 18,000 individuals.
Habitat and Distribution
White rhinos prefer open grasslands and savannas, where they can graze on grasses. They are primarily found in South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Kenya, with South Africa being home to the largest population. They thrive in protected areas and private game reserves, where their numbers have been steadily increasing due to successful conservation efforts.
Diet
White rhinos are power grazers. They have a wide, flat mouth perfect for grazing on vast quantities of grass. Their diet consists almost entirely of various grasses, which they spend the majority of their day consuming.
Breeding
White rhinos have a gestation period of about 16 months, and they usually give birth to one calf every 2 to 3 years. Calves stay with their mothers for up to three years before becoming independent. White rhinos are more social than black rhinos, often found in groups, especially females with calves.
The Black Rhino (Diceros bicornis)
There are three surviving sub-species of black rhino: the Eastern black rhino, the Southern Central black rhino and the Southwestern black rhino. A fourth sub species, the Western black rhino was declared extinct in 2011.
Black rhinos are not black. The species probably derives its name as a distinction from the white rhino and/or from the dark-coloured local soil that covers its skin after wallowing in mud. Black rhinos, like other species of African rhinos have two horns. The foremost horn is more prominent than the other, although the black rhino is known for having the largest horns of all living rhinos species.
Black rhinos can live to be 35 – 40 years in the wild. Far more shy, secretive, and aggressive than the white rhino, the black rhino is often more difficult to track and spot, and their temperamental nature poses a formidable threat to anyone approaching on foot.
Habitat and Distribution
Black Rhinos tend to wander smaller home ranges as long as there are woody plants and waterholes nearby. Black rhino are typically found in Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and Malawi.
Diet
Prehensile or hook-lipped rhinoceros. The upper lip of the black rhino is adapted for feeding from trees and shrubs.
Smaller than the white rhino the black rhino is a browser, not a grazer, living mainly in thick bush or wherever there is a good supply of shrubs and plants to eat. Their hooked lip helps them to pull and hold leaves and branches, which is very useful in the African bush.
The black rhino lives in Africa, primarily in grasslands, savannahs and tropical bush lands. Black rhinos are browsers. Their prehensile upper lip is adapted for grasping and holding leaves and branches of shrubs and trees.
Territories and Breeding
Black rhinos typically have one calf at a time. Black rhino calves, like all other mammals, survive the first few months of their lives by drinking milk provided by their mother. Black rhino cows (female rhinos) have mammary glands under their front legs.
Gestation lasts approximately 15 – 16 months, and mothers give birth to one calf every 2.5 – 3 years. Females and sub-adults generally are social, but bulls are typically solitary. Adult female black rhinos have overlapping ranges and are not really as solitary as often portrayed. Males are generally solitary and may be territorial.
Also Read: The Fall of the Black Rhino
White Rhinos VS Black Rhinos: Frequently Asked Questions
Which species of rhino is part of the Big Five?
The term “Big Five” traditionally refers to the five most dangerous animals to hunt on foot in Africa: the lion, leopard, African elephant, Cape buffalo, and rhino. Both white and black rhinos are considered part of the Big Five, but the black rhino, due to its solitary nature and aggressive temperament, is typically seen as the more dangerous of the two.
What do rhinos eat?
- White rhinos are grazers, feeding almost exclusively on grasses. Their wide, flat lips are perfectly adapted to this diet.
- Black rhinos are browsers, using their prehensile, hook-shaped upper lips to pluck leaves, branches and shrubs from trees and bushes.
Are white rhinos bigger than black rhinos?
Yes. White rhinos are the larger of the two African species. Adult white rhinos can weigh up to 2,400 kilograms, making them the second-largest land mammal after the African elephant. Black rhinos are smaller and more compact, generally weighing between 800 and 1,400 kilograms.
Are White Rhinos dangerous?
Despite their size, white rhinos are generally more docile and social. They’re often tolerant of safari vehicles and human presence, especially in reserves where they are habituated. However, as with all wild animals, they can become aggressive if provoked or threatened – especially mothers with calves.
Are Black Rhinos dangerous?
Yes, black rhinos are considered more aggressive and unpredictable than their white counterparts. They have poor eyesight, and when startled or unsure of a threat, they are more likely to charge. This behaviour, combined with their solitary and territorial nature, makes them more dangerous to encounter on foot.
What is a rhino horn made of?
Rhino horn is made of keratin – the same protein found in human fingernails and hair. Despite this, the illegal trade in rhino horn remains a devastating threat to both black and white rhinos due to persistent myths in some cultures about its medicinal or status value.
What is the gestation period of rhinos?
Both black and white rhinos have a long gestation period of around 15 to 16 months. After birth, calves remain with their mothers for up to three years, during which they learn survival skills and form strong social bonds.
The Fight to Protect Them
Rhinos once roamed much of Africa and Asia, but today they are facing unprecedented threats. Poaching for their horns and habitat loss have decimated populations, pushing some subspecies to the brink of extinction.
Saving Private Rhino is dedicated to the protection, rehabilitation, and rewilding of rhinos in Southern Africa. With poaching syndicates becoming more militarised, conservation efforts must be equally strategic, resourceful, and relentless.
From anti-poaching units and aerial surveillance to education programmes and rhino relocation, the work done by rangers, conservationists and private reserves is vital to ensuring that both white and black rhinos can continue to survive – and thrive – in the wild.
How You Can Help
Whether through donations, awareness, visiting responsible game reserves, or simply spreading the message, every small action contributes to the greater fight. The rhino’s future depends not only on fences and funding, but on people who care enough to take a stand.
Protect the horn. Preserve the heritage. Save the rhino.
