# Black Rhinoceros (*Diceros bicornis*)

> The black rhinoceros is a large African rhino with a hooked upper lip for browsing shrubs, weighing 800–1,400 kg (1,750–3,100 lb) despite its name referring to soil colour, not hide. Critically endangered from poaching for horn, fewer than 6,500 remain across scattered eastern and southern African reserves.

- **Category:** Mammal
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Critically Endangered
- **Range:** Scattered protected populations in Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Zambia — absent from most of their historic range.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/black-rhino/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Mammalia
- **Order:** Perissodactyla
- **Family:** Rhinocerotidae
- **Genus:** Diceros

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Diceros bicornis |
| Diet | Herbivore — leaves, branches, and woody browse |
| Habitat | Savannas, scrub, and dry woodland of eastern and southern Africa |
| Lifespan | 35–50 years in the wild |
| Weight | 800–1,400 kg (1,750–3,100 lb) |
| Top speed | Up to 55 km/h (34 mph) in charge |
| Conservation status | Critically Endangered (IUCN) |

## Hooked lip browser

The prehensile pointed upper lip lets black rhinos strip leaves from thorny acacia and succulents that grass-eating white rhinos cannot exploit. They have poor eyesight but acute hearing and smell, charging threats they detect downwind.

## Solitary temperament

Black rhinos are more solitary and aggressive than white rhinos, with bulls maintaining territories and cows accompanying calves. Mothers are fiercely protective — most human injuries involve surprised animals on foot.

## Poaching catastrophe

Rhino horn — made of keratin like fingernails — is illegally traded for traditional medicine and status symbols, driving poaching despite international bans. Black rhino numbers crashed 96% between 1970 and 1990; recovery is slow but ongoing in well-guarded reserves.

## Recovery efforts

Intensive anti-poaching, dehorning programmes, and translocations support populations in Namibia, Kenya, South Africa, and Tanzania. Critically Endangered globally, the species illustrates both the devastation of illegal wildlife trade and the impact of committed conservation funding.

## Frequently asked questions

### Black rhino vs white rhino?

Black rhinos are smaller, hook-lipped browsers holding their heads high. White rhinos are larger, square-lipped grazers of grass. 'Black' and 'white' are mistranslations of Dutch/Afrikaans words, not skin colour.

### How many black rhinos are left?

Roughly 6,000–6,500 in the wild after decades of poaching — up from a low of about 2,400 in the 1990s thanks to protection.

### Why are rhinos poached?

For their horns, sold illegally despite being made of keratin with no proven medicinal value. Demand in some Asian markets drives the trade.

### Are black rhinos dangerous?

They charge when threatened and have poor eyesight, making close approaches on foot extremely risky. Respect park rules and ranger guidance.

### Where do black rhinos live?

Scattered protected areas in Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Zambia — absent from most of their historic range.

## Sources

- [IUCN Red List — Diceros bicornis.](https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Diceros%20bicornis&searchType=species)
- [Animal Diversity Web — Diceros bicornis. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Diceros_bicornis/)
- [Wikipedia — Black Rhinoceros.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_rhinoceros)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/black-rhino/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.