The Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) is a large African ungulate featured in the Arid Animal Pack DLC for Planet Zoo.
Zoopedia Description
General[]
Population In Wild: 3,150
The black rhinoceros (or Diceros bicornis), also known as the hook-lipped rhinoceros, is a large ungulate native to the grasslands and scrublands of Southern and Eastern Africa. Black rhinos have two horns on their face, with the anterior horn being much longer than the posterior horn. They have thick, grey skin, stocky limbs, small eyes, and oval-shaped ears. The black rhinoceros stands 4.6ft to 5.9ft tall at the shoulder, is 9.8ft to 12.3ft long, and weighs between 1765lb and 3090lb. Males and females are similar in size.
Black rhinoceroses are considered to be Critically Endangered, with several of its subspecies already being extinct. The species faces multiple issues, poaching for their horns being the most significant. With large areas of their habitat being in war zones, their population is negatively affected by human action, as well as the lack of legislation and law enforcement for their protection. Additionally, their specific browse-based diet means they are vulnerable to food competition from other species, and can be difficult to raise in captivity due to their susceptibility to mineral deficiencies and diseases.
Social[]
Black rhinoceroses are generally solitary, except for mothers and their calves. Fleeting, loose bonds may form between individuals when they encounter each other.
Reproduction[]
Both males and female black rhinoceroses have territories which often overlap. Breeding happens year round for this species, though births tend to occur towards the end of the rainy season. Male black rhinos track fertile females through their excrement. When they meet, encounters cam be aggressive. Males will be aggressive towards other males when competing over a female, and females may fight males when fending off unwanted advances. A male and female form a consortship for up to 2 weeks before mating. They spend this bonding time by eating, sleeping, and traveling together. The male will attempt to initiate copulation, but if the female is not ready, she will avoid this by aggressively charging at the male. If she is in estrus, she will allow him to mount her. Copulation lasts 20 to 40 minutes, and, afterwards, the pair will part ways.
Pregnancies in black rhinos last 15 months, after which the female gives birth to a single calf. Newborn rhinos feed exclusively from their mothers for approximately a month, and then begin eating soft grasses and drinking water in addition to their mother's milk. Calves are weaned by 18 months old, but remain with their mothers until they are between 2 to 4 years old.
By this age, they will distance themselves from their mothers to establish their own territories. Young rhinos may join a loosely bonded group of other adolescent individuals or roam around by themselves. Male black rhinoceroses reach sexual maturity at 7 or 8 years old, females a bit earlier at 5 to 7 years old.
Animal Care
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PREFERRED OBJECTS | |
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Hay · Leaves and Branches · Vitamin and Mineral Supplements | |
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FEEDING STATIONS | |
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FOOD ENRICHMENT |
HABITAT ENRICHMENT |
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COMPATIBLE ANIMALS |
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Black Rhinoceros doesn't benefit from sharing space with other species |
Trivia
Zoopedia Fun Facts[]
- Black rhinos growl and scream when they are scared or in conflict situations.
- Black rhinos have mutualistic relationships with birds such as oxpeckers and egrets that remove parasites from their skin.
- Black rhinos mainly feed on browse (leaves from shrubs, bushes, and trees) and have tough, prehensile lips that are adapted to this kind of foraging.
- Of the 8 subspecies of the black rhino, only three remain extant: the Eastern black rhino, South-central black rhino, and South-western black rhino. A fourth subspecies, the Ugandan black rhino, may survive in reserves outside of Uganda.
- Black rhinos can be extremely aggressive towards each other: 50% of male and 30% of female black rhinos that die naturally are thought to have died from conflict related injuries.
Other Trivia[]
- It is also called the “Black Rhino”, the “Hook-Lipped Rhinoceros”, the “Hooked-Lipped Rhinoceros”, and the “Browse Rhinoceros”.
- The two African Rhinoceros species are one of five African animals known as The Big Five Game Animals, or the Big Five. The other animals are the African Buffalo, the African Leopard, the African Bush Elephant, and the African Lion.
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