Black Rhinoceros

Traveling alone, a black rhino brandishes the two horns on its head at an intruder. Intended for protection, the horns may actually lead to the rhino’s demise. Rhino horns are sought after by poachers to sell for their use in traditional medicine. Some cultures also use black rhino horn to fashion high-status dagger handles.

• A rhino has three toes on each foot.
• Rhinos have a poor sense of sight and rely instead on their senses of smell and hearing.
• The black rhino has a hooked upper lip for grasping and pulling leaves off branches.
• Males aggressively defend their territories and mates from each other with upper jabs of the horns.
• Most of the remaining black rhinos survive only in protected reserves.