The size of a black Rhinoceros’s head and body is three hundred to three hundred and seventy five cm. The tail length is about seventy cm long and its shoulder height is one hundred and forty to one hundred and eighty cm. The Rhinoceros’s coloration is black. Their habitat is forests and grassland but these have to contain water for them to drink. If you ever have a chance to see an animal that looks like a black Rhino and are not sure if it is one or not, the way to tell for sure is by the following characteristics; they grab leaves with their upper lip and sniff a lot.

 

A black Rhino’s niche is food, water, and a resting place. The reason they do well in their ecosystem is because of their high metabolic rates and also because they are able to fight off bigger predators. The black Rhinos are found in Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, and South Africa. There are about three thousand black rhinos in the world. The black rhino’s population is decreasing almost to the point of extinction because of poachers. Poachers hunt black rhinos for their horns.

 

Poachers sell the horns at a costly price. The black rhinos contributing change is their horns. Their horns are used for medicine in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore. In North Africa and in the Middle East people also use the horn as an ornamental dagger handle. The black rhino’s job in the food web is to eat fruits, plants, roots, and vegetables. Their horn is what allows them to compete for food. They are able to defend themselves from any predators or from any other animals trying to take their prey. They do this by charging at other animals with their horn. Other animals that the black rhino competes with are Giraffes, Zebras, and Bison. Some of these animals are stronger than the black rhino so they have a little advantage.

 

The black rhino really doesn’t have predators just as long as they are adults. They’re very strong animals so they defend themselves well by charging and using their horn to attack the enemy. Poachers who hunt the black rhino for their horn and hyenas that prey on baby black rhinos are endangering this animal. I thought it was very interesting that the black rhinos don’t have predators. It’s only the poachers that hunt them for their horn. I learned that the black rhino has very bad eye sight, it’s almost blind, so if it charges your car don’t say I didn’t warn you!

 

Author: Fernando D

Published: 02/2007

 

Photo Credit: 19:03, 10 February 2006 . . Mfield (Talk | contribs) . . 1024×799 (357,333 bytes) (Black Rhino - Diceros bicornis taken in Taronga zoo, Sydney, Australia taken and uploaded by Matthew Field http://www.mattfield.com)