These two white rhinos came down to drink late one afternoon while I was waiting at a waterhole. There are two types of rhino, white rhino and black rhino. Color has little to do with the distinction between the two species. The white rhino has a wide square upper lip adapted for grazing. “White” was adopted from “wide”. Now that we have a white rhino the other species naturally became the black rhino. Black rhino has a narrow hooked upper lip adopted for foraging. White rhino are more common than black rhino but are endangered. White rhino are threatened by commercial poaching to get hold of their horns, believed to assist under endowed under performing men to improve sexual performance.
White Rhinos reaches a height of up to 1,8m at the shoulder and reaches a weight of up to 2,3 tonnes. The horn can reach a length of up to 1,6m. A calf weighs approximately 40kg at birth. A white rhino has a lifespan of up to 45 years. Bulls who have no water in their territories leave every 3-4 days to drink, passing through other bulls’ territories as they go. If confronted they squeal and shriek and hold their ears back to demonstrate their submission. They are then usually allowed to proceed.
White rhinos have poor eye sight, relying on sent and hearing. White rhino are more even tempered than black rhino. I once came across a white rhino bull, cow and calf while walking in a nature reserve to seek help to recover a stuck vehicle. The bull noticed me and started to move towards me. I stood still and it stopped. Fortunately there was a thin, tall tree nearby that I climbed – fast. The rhino came to the tree and stood right beneath me sniffing the ground and air. Eventually the cow and calf broke away and he soon followed. From personal experience I can confirm:
- They do have poor eye sight.
- They do reach a height of 1,8m at the shoulder.
- I was very scared. Running would not have helped – a white rhino can reach a speed of up to 40km/h.
Source: Own experience and Smither’s Mammals of Southern Africa.
I have started watermarking my images. I was recently confronted by what a commercial printer cam do with even a low resolution image. You may contact me at http://www.coismeyer.com/ or e-mail me at cois@coismeyer.com to obtain an un-watermarked copy, depending on intended use.
White Rhinos reaches a height of up to 1,8m at the shoulder and reaches a weight of up to 2,3 tonnes. The horn can reach a length of up to 1,6m. A calf weighs approximately 40kg at birth. A white rhino has a lifespan of up to 45 years. Bulls who have no water in their territories leave every 3-4 days to drink, passing through other bulls’ territories as they go. If confronted they squeal and shriek and hold their ears back to demonstrate their submission. They are then usually allowed to proceed.
White rhinos have poor eye sight, relying on sent and hearing. White rhino are more even tempered than black rhino. I once came across a white rhino bull, cow and calf while walking in a nature reserve to seek help to recover a stuck vehicle. The bull noticed me and started to move towards me. I stood still and it stopped. Fortunately there was a thin, tall tree nearby that I climbed – fast. The rhino came to the tree and stood right beneath me sniffing the ground and air. Eventually the cow and calf broke away and he soon followed. From personal experience I can confirm:
- They do have poor eye sight.
- They do reach a height of 1,8m at the shoulder.
- I was very scared. Running would not have helped – a white rhino can reach a speed of up to 40km/h.
Source: Own experience and Smither’s Mammals of Southern Africa.
I have started watermarking my images. I was recently confronted by what a commercial printer cam do with even a low resolution image. You may contact me at http://www.coismeyer.com/ or e-mail me at cois@coismeyer.com to obtain an un-watermarked copy, depending on intended use.
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