Rhinoceros: odd-toed ungulates (hoofed mammals) in the family Rhinocerotidae
While nearly 100 known rhinoceros species have existed throughout the eons, there are currently five species of living rhinos
Two rhino species can be found in Africa and three species can be found in Asia
The two African species are the black rhino (Diceros bicornis) and the white rhino (Ceratotherium simum)
The three Asian species are the Sumatran rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis), the Javan rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus), and the greater one-horned rhino (Rhinoceros unicornis)
While 500,000 rhinos roamed Africa and Asia at the beginning of the 20th century, rhino numbers dropped to 70,000 by 1970
Now, as few as 29,000 rhinos remain in the wild
The remaining rhinos can be found outside national parks and reserves
Three species of rhino (black, Javan, and Sumatran) are critically endangered
Rhinos vary in size and weight depending on the species
On average, their height is between 33 and 5 feet, their length is between 65 and 13 feet, and their weight is 1,320 to 2,090 pounds
Black rhinos are the smaller of the two African rhino species
On average, their height is 52 feet and their weight is between 1,720 and 3,080 pounds
The white rhino is the larger African species, weighing 3,080 between and 7,920 pounds and standing at a height between 5 and 6 feet
Javan rhinos are 46 to 58 feet in height and can weigh between 1,984 and 5,071 pounds
The greater one-horned rhino is the largest of the rhino species, with height ranging from 575 to 65 feet and weight ranging from 4,000 to 6,000 pounds
The rhinoceros gets its name from one of its most notable features: its horns
The word rhinoceros come from the Greek words rhino meaning “nose” and ceros meaning “horn” The number of horns that a rhino has varies on the species
The two African species (the black rhino and the white rhino) and the Sumatran rhino have two horns, while the Javan rhino and one-horned rhino have one horn
Rhinos’ appearances vary depending on the species
The Sumatran rhinos are the smallest of the living rhinos
The Sumatran rhinos are the smallest of the living rhinos
They are covered with long hair and are more closely related to the extinct woolly rhinos than any of the other rhino species alive today
The greater one-horned rhino is identified by a single black horn, which is about 8 to 25 inches long
The Javan rhino is very similar in appearance to the closely-related one-horned rhino, but the Javan rhino has a much smaller head and less apparent skin folds
Javan rhinos are a dusky grey color and have a single horn of up to about 10 inches
Both species of African rhinos, black and white rhinos, are the same color
Of the two African species, black rhinos are the smaller species
The most notable difference between white and black rhinos is their hooked upper lip
White rhinos are known for their square lip, which distinguishes them from the black rhino
Black rhinos are browsers rather than grazers, and their pointed lip helps them feed on leaves from bushes and trees
Black rhinos have two horns, and occasionally a third, small posterior horn
All five species of rhinos are herbivores, eating mainly vegetation
They spend most of their time browsing and grazing through their natural habitat in search of plants and grasses to eat
The specific types of food that each of the species eats depend upon their habitat and location
Rhinos are one of the few remaining megaherbivores, which are plant-eaters that weigh more than 2,000 pounds
Their habitat depends on the species
For example, the Sumatran rhino’s habitat is dense highland and lowland tropical and subtropical forests
Meanwhile, the white rhino can be found in African grasslands
While rhinos once roamed great portions of Africa and Asia, their range has decreased dramatically in recent years
Rhinos can currently be found in Borneo and Sumatra, Namibia, the Eastern Himalayas, and Coastal East Africa
Their location depends on species
For example, the Sumatran rhino can be found on the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Borneo
Meanwhile, the white rhino and the black rhino can be found in Africa
Female rhinos give birth to a single calf, which can weigh over 100 pounds
Rhino breeding patterns depend on the species and its habitat
The mother may stay with her calf for up to four years unless she has another baby, in which case she pushes her older calf into independence to make way for the new arrival
Sumatran rhinos are the exception, where the mother will only stay with the calf for two to three years, even if the mother does not have another newborn for another two years
For the Sumatran rhino, only two captive females have reproduced in the last 15 years
This covering later becomes sparse, bristly and near black in older animals
White rhinos, which have a complex social structure, have different breeding patterns
The home range for adult females can be more than seven times larger than males, depending on habitat quality and population density
Breeding females are prevented from leaving a dominant male’s territory, which is marked and patrolled by its owner on a regular basis
Males will compete over a female, which can cause a conflict where the males will use their horns and massive size to inflict wounds on their competitors
Several species of rhinos are endangered with small populations remaining
For example, the remaining Sumatran rhinos live in small, fragmented non-viable populations
Meanwhile, there are only 58 to 68 Javan rhinos remaining, which only live in Ujung Kulon National Park in Java, Indonesia
The two species of African rhinos live in home ranges that can sometimes overlap with each other
Their feeding grounds, wallows, and water holes may be shared among other local rhinos
Of the two African species, the black rhino is usually solitary, while the white rhino tends to be more social
White rhinos have complex social structures
Groups of sometimes 14 rhinos may form, which typically includes females and their calves
White rhino adult males defend territories of roughly one square mile, which they mark with vigorously scraped dung piles
The one-horned rhino is solitary, except when adult males, or rhinos nearing adulthood, gather at wallows or to graze
Rhinoceroses’ lifespans vary on species
Javan rhinos are the most threatened of the five rhino species and are found in only one protected area in the world
The species is extremely vulnerable to extinction due to natural catastrophes, habitat loss, diseases, poaching, and potential inbreeding
Sumatran rhinos compete with the Javan rhino for the title of most threatened rhino species
While surviving in possibly greater numbers than the Javan rhino, Sumatran rhinos are more threatened due to habitat loss and fragmentation
The remaining animals survive in small, fragmented non-viable populations, and with limited possibilities to find each other to breed, its population decline continues
Just two captive females have reproduced in the last 15 years
Poaching is the largest threat to the one-horned rhino
Habitat loss due to expanding human populations is another major threat
In Africa, wildlife crime is the biggest threat to both black and white rhino
The white rhino has been near extinction for decades to the rampant poaching for rhino horn
Habitat loss is another major threat to both species
Javan rhinos are the most threatened of the five rhino species and are listed as Critically Endangered with only 58 to 68 individuals remaining
Sumatran rhinos are also listed as Critically Endangered with a population of 80
One-horned rhinos came very close to extinction
By the start of the 20th century, around 200 wild greater one-horned rhinos remained
However, conservation efforts have brought their numbers up to about 3,500 rhinos
The one-horned rhino is now classified as Vulnerable
While black rhino numbers have doubled from their historic low 20 years ago to between 5,042 and 5,455, they are still classified as Critically Endangered
Meanwhile, the other African species, white rhinos are the only of the five rhino species not listed as endangered
With a population size of less than 19,600 to 21,000, white rhinos are classified as Near Threatened
Northern white rhinos, a subspecies of rhino, are on the brink of extinction
In 2018, the last male northern white rhino, Sudan, died
The two remaining females, who reside at Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya, are too old to reproduce
Scientists used sperm from both Sudan and another male that died earlier to fertilize two eggs from the females, Fatu and Najin
As the population of rhinos continues to decrease, conservation groups and local governments are working to protect these endangered species
The illegal wildlife trade and poaching are some of the largest threats to these species
To protect rhinos from poaching, African countries began working to protect their rhinos, China no longer approved the use of rhino horn for traditional medicines, and countries in the Middle East promoted dagger handles made of synthetic materials
These efforts reduced rhino poaching drastically
Conservation efforts, including intensive anti-poaching and habitat protection efforts, have helped some wild rhinos make a comeback
For example, poaching has been almost eliminated in Indonesia, largely due to the country’s Rhino Protection Units
The greater one-horned rhino has made a dramatic recovery thanks to conservation efforts, and the recovery is considered one of the greatest conservation success stories in Asia
At the start of the 20th century, there were only 200 remaining greater one-horned rhinos
There are now more than 3,700 rhinos
The species was saved from the brink of extinction through strict protection and management action from Indian and Nepalese authorities and their partners
Sudan, a 43-year-old northern white rhino, is the last male of his subspecies
He is not able to naturally reproduce with the remaining two females, so scientists were hoping to use in-vitro fertility treatments
Adopt a Sumatran Rhino: Make a symbolic rhino adoption to support WWF’s conservation efforts
Their massive bodies are covered with thick armor and weigh a lot
So it isn’t uncommon to wonder how much does a rhino weigh?
Five species of these huge mammals still are roaming the surface of the earth
Among them, the white rhino is the largest of all
Their weight ranges from around 2700 kilograms that are about 6000 pounds
Adults of these larger species have a massive weight of 3 to 5 tons
Rhinos have massive bodies
Their huge shoulders carry a lot of weight
Even their horns weigh around 15 to 4 kilograms
Many signs of bone health issues such as bone degeneration, infection, etc were found in the extinct and existing species of the horned animal
Many scientists are currently studying the detriment of long-term bone health issues in the giants
How much do rhinos weigh through different life stages?
An animal can weigh differently in different conditions in its life
Many scientists stand amazed at the fact that something that lives on grass can grow that big
Again, a rhino in the wild may weigh differently than the one in captivity
Different species also weigh differently
Such as the White Rhino is the largest of all and the Sumatran Rhino is the smallest species existing
Their average weight is determined by examining a lot of specimens over many years
Weight of a rhino baby
At birth, the baby of a White Rhinoceros can weigh from 50 to 60 kilograms
The baby starts walking after a few hours of its birth and lives totally on its mother’s milk for 2 or 3 weeks
The milk has so much fat in it that the baby gains 15 to 2 kilograms daily during the first few days of its birth
After a few weeks, the mother familiarizes her calf with fresh grass
The calf then starts eating its first vegetation but it also drinks breast milk for about 2 years
During this time it grows physically to being an adult and learns survival skills from the mother
Weight of an adult rhino
The mother feeds the calf with her milk
The rich milk helps it to grow fast
After some time the calf starts eating grass
After 3 to 4 years, the giant becomes an adult and can leave the mother and live in the wild alone
During this time their average weight ranges from 3 to 5 tons
Only a few of today’s existing adult mammal species weigh over a ton and the horned African giant is one of them
Different species Weight Comparison
Five species of massive animals are still roaming the planet’s forests and deserts
These include The African White and The Black Rhino, The Greater One-Horned species, The Sumatran Rhinoceroses, and The Javan Rhinoceroses
Rhino SpeciesAverage Baby WeightAverage Adult Male Weight Average Adult Female Weight White Rhinoceros40-65 Kg (89-143 lbs)2500 Kg (5500 lbs)1300 Kg (2850 lbs)Black Rhinoceros35-50 Kg (77-111 lbs)1400 Kg (3100 lbs)900 Kg (1900 lbs)Indian Rhinoceros 50-65 Kg (77-143 lbs)2400 Kg (5300 lbs)1600 Kg (3500 lbs)Sumatran Rhinoceros40-60 Kg (88-132 lbs)900 Kg (1900 lbs)500 Kg (1100 lbs)Javan Rhinoceros 45-60 Kg (100-145 lbs)900-2300 Kg (2000-5000 lbs)900-2300 Kg (2000-5000 lbs)
White Rhinoceros
White Rhinoceroses are the biggest Rhinoceros breed alive
The gestation period of these creatures lasts for about 16 months
It gains 15 to 2 kilograms daily during the few days of its birth
Males grow faster than females
After 3 to 4 years an adult can be a lot heavier
Their average weight ranges up to 2700 kilograms
Females are less heavy than males of the same family
Black Rhinoceros
Females weigh less than males
Their gestation can last for about 15 to 16 months
The calf is about 35 to 50 kilograms at birth, which is about 75 to 110 pounds
The mother’s rich milk helps the calf to grow a lot faster
They leave their mothers after about 3 to 4 years
The greater one-horned Rhinoceros
These Indian species of giants can be about 50 to 65 kilograms at birth
About 60 kilograms is considered to be a good weight for these infantsAfter 4 to 6 years the calf reaches its mature age
During this time, they can weigh from around 1600 to 2700 kilograms, about 4000 to 6000 pounds
The males are heavier than the females
An average male in the wild carries about 2200 kilograms and an average female carries about 1600 kilograms
Sumatran Rhinoceros is the smallest breed of all rhinoceros species
An adult’s body carries about 1300 to 2100 pounds that are 600 to 900 kilograms
Males are heavier than femalesThe infants can be about 40 to 60 kilograms that are about 88 to 132 pounds
An infant can have a weight of 45 to 69 kilograms(88 to 150 pounds)
During this, they weigh about 900 to 2300 kilograms(Around 2000 to 5000 pounds)
The females weigh little more than the males
The weight comparison between two different mammals always depends on the families that are being compared
The hippo has 2 living species currently and the rhino has 5 species
If the biggest breed of both mammals is compared, that is the white rhinoceros and the common hippo, the horned giants obviously win
Rhinoceros and hippopotamuses are the two biggest land mammals currently existing on the planet
The hippo despite being more ferocious than the horned beast is smaller in size
The average male armored giant can be up to 2700 kilograms heavy
Whereas the average male hippo can only weigh from 1500 to 1800 kilograms
The Sumatran rhinoceros are way heavier than the pygmy hippos
The pygmy hippos are only 400 to 600 pounds heavy
Whereas the Sumatran horned giants are 1300 to 2100 pounds heavy
Scientists are still studying the weight distribution of these huge animals to learn new things
They believe there is more to know from the question of “how heavy is a rhino?”
The giant horned animal is the second-largest living mammal on the planet
Though they live on vegetation, their body has a lot stronger structure
Rhinos’ weight changes during the different stages of life
Different species also are differently heavy
Lastly, a rhinoceros is obviously heavier than a hippo