White Rhinoceros

Verified Timeline

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.

In Their Own Story

The northern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum cottoni) is critically endangered and possibly extinct in the wild. Initially, six northern white rhinoceros were managed at Dvůr Králové Zoo in the Czech Republic. In 2009, four of these were transported to Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya. The population continued to dwindle: one of the remaining rhinos in the Czech Republic died in May 2011, and the last two bulls capable of natural mating died in 2014 (Suni in Kenya on 18 October, and Angalifu in San Diego on 15 December). The last remaining male, Sudan, who had been under 24-hour armed guard at Ol Pejeta, was euthanized on 19 March 2018 due to age-related health complications. This left only two females, Najin and Fatu, alive, both residing at Ol Pejeta. Staff at Ol Pejeta hold hope in using his stored semen for artificial insemination and other assisted reproductive technologies, though significant challenges persist. The taxonomic status of the northern white rhinoceros has been debated; research by Groves et al. (2010) proposed it should be considered a distinct species, Ceratotherium cottoni, but these findings have not been universally accepted.

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.

Did You Know?

• The white rhinoceros is the largest extant species of rhinoceros and the most social of all rhino species.
• The name 'white rhinoceros' may originate from a mistranslation of the Dutch word 'wijd' (meaning 'wide'), but no written evidence of this usage has been found.
• The oldest definitive fossil record of Ceratotherium simum dates to around 1.8 million years ago at Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania.
• The last male northern white rhinoceros, Sudan, was euthanized on 19 March 2018 at Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya.
• 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.