Southern white rhino
Ceratotherium simum simum
Animal facts
The name of this rhino has no connection with the colour of its skin, but is a mis-translation of the Afrikaans word ‘weit’, meaning wide. White rhinos have a large, square mouth, well suited to grazing short grass. This is the largest and most social of the five rhino species and, like all rhinos, is very short-sighted, but has an excellent sense of smell.
Where they live
Southern Africa
Habitat
Open grassland and dry savannah
What they eat
Short grass
IUCN status
Near threatened
Conservation work
Breeding Southern white rhinos at Whipsnade Zoo Conserving the black rhino
