The Rhino

This is another member of the big five community found in Kenya. It consists of the white and black rhino. The black rhino is the one commonly found in Kenya. The name 'black' is derived from how it looks once it wallows in mud. Generally, it is not black in color. This Kenyan rhino has been highly threatened by poachers who hunt it for its horns. The horn is believed to have medicinal value and it is sold to Asian countries. No scientific evidence exists of its medicinal values though. The rhino has a life span of 30-35 years in the wild and over 45 years in captivity. It is herbivorous and its sharp horn helps in grasping tree branches and leaves.


Mothers give birth every three years and gestation normally takes about sixteen months. They give birth to only one calf at a time. They reach sexual maturity between the age of 4 and 7. Mature bulls are territorial and not social. They are generally larger than the females. Today, they are becoming extinct not because of poaching but human encroachment to their grazing areas.

The white rhino is the second largest mammal after the elephant. It is not white in color as the presumption is. It has two horns made from keratin instead of bone on its snout. It has a massive head and color ranges from yellow to grey. It also has a hump on its back. It is subdivided into two; the northern and southern white rhino. The southern white rhino was estimated to be 1700 in number in 2008 while the northern white rhino is very rare with only 12 remaining. Eight of the twelve are in captivity while the remaining is in the wild.


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