White Rhinoceros
A silent titan of the grasslands, shaping the earth with every slow, deliberate step.
The white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum), also known as the square-lipped rhinoceros, is the largest extant species of rhinoceros and the most social of all rhino species. It is characterized by its wide mouth adapted for grazing. The species includes two subspecies with dramatically different conservation outlooks: the southern white rhinoceros, with an estimated 17,464 individuals in the wild as of the end of 2023, and the northern white rhinoceros, which is critically endangered and on the brink of extinction. White rhinoceros can run up to 40 mph (64 km/h) for very short bursts and can maintain speeds of around 30–31 mph (48–50 km/h) for a good amount of time, and they have good stamina.
Quick Facts
- Genus
- Ceratotherium
- Species
- simum
Lore & Background
The origin of the name 'white rhinoceros' is unknown, but one popular theory is a mistranslation of the Dutch word 'wijd' (meaning 'wide') into English, referring to the rhinoceros's broad, square mouth. However, a review of Dutch and Afrikaans literature by Rookmaaker (2003) found no written evidence of 'wijd' ever being used to describe the rhinoceros. The generic name Ceratotherium was given by zoologist John Edward Gray in 1868, deriving from Greek kéras (κέρας), meaning 'horn', and thēríon (θηρίον), meaning 'beast'.
The specific epithet simum comes from the Greek simos (σιμός), meaning 'flat-nosed', referring to the animal's broad, flat snout. The modern white rhinoceros was initially thought to be descended from Ceratotherium praecox, but a 2005 review by Denis Geraads proposed an alternative lineage: Ceratotherium neumayri → Ceratotherium mauritanicum → C. simum. The oldest definitive fossil record of Ceratotherium simum dates to the mid-Early Pleistocene, around 1.8 million years ago, at Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania.
Reader's Guide
The white rhinoceros is the largest of the five living rhinoceros species. Males typically have a head-and-body length of 3.7–4 m (12.1–13.1 ft) and a shoulder height of 170–186 cm (5.58–6.10 ft), while females measure 3.35–3.65 m (11.0–12.0 ft) in head-and-body length and 160–177 cm (5.25–5.81 ft) at the shoulder. Bulls are heavier, averaging 2,000–2,300 kg (4,410–5,070 lb), compared to cows, which average about 1,600–1,700 kg (3,530–3,750 lb). The white rhinoceros's most noticeable features are the two horn-like structures on its snout, which are solid masses of densely compacted keratin fibers.
The anterior horn averages 60 cm (24 in) in length, though in some individuals it can attain lengths of up to 166 cm (65 in). A single horn can weigh around 4.0 kg (8.8 lb). A prominent muscular hump is situated on the back of its neck, crucial for supporting the weight of its massive head during long periods of grazing. As of the end of 2023, an estimated 17,464 southern white rhinos lived in the wild, with South Africa being the primary stronghold, home to 12,968 individuals in 2021.
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