9 Incredible Facts About Rhinos

EcoTraining Guides & Guardians in South Africa offers some interesting facts about the second largest African land animal — the noble rhino:

1. In Ancient Greek, the name rhinoceros means “nose horn.”
2. There are five different rhino species including the black and white Rhino of Africa, and the Sumatran, Javan and Indian species found in Asia.
3. The rhinoceros has been around for over 50 million years.
4. Rhinos once roamed North America and Europe, too. Around 30,000 years ago, humans in southern France were painting images of rhinos in an underground gallery that’s now called Chauvet Cave.
5. White rhinos need to spend about 50% of their time feeding on grass in order to give them enough calories to support their large bodies.
6. You will occasionally find rhinos munching on soil, a practice called “geophagia.” Similar to humans taking vitamin supplements, the animals do this to absorb extra minerals that may be lacking in their all-grass diet.
7. Despite their enormous size and bulkiness, white rhinos can run as fast as 25 miles per hour.
8. Believe it or not, rhinos are related to the horse and zebra.
9. With rhino horn valued more than cocaine, South Africa is losing approximately three rhinos a day due to illegal poaching. It’s sad to think that if we continue to lose them at this rate, rhinos could soon become extinct.