White Rhino

There was a time when white rhinos were nearly extinct, during the latter part of the 20th century. Still, their numbers have greatly improved since then, largely thanks to conservation efforts in South Africa. Recent surges in poaching have decreased their numbers a bit again, which is why their conservation status is now "near threatened," according to the IUCN red list. Populations in KwaZulu-Natal had previously saved the species from extinction in the 90s. South Africa remains a sanctuary for white rhinos, with 93% of the whole population found in South Africa. The population exceeds 20 000, making them the most abundant of all the rhino species in the world, with most rhino species, such as the Black and Indian rhino, very much endangered and nearing extinction.

White rhinos are frequent residents of savanna, grassland, and bushveld areas with abundant grass on which to feed. In the Kruger National Park, the central plains of the park are home to the most significant number of these big animals, where large dung deposits on the main roads are typically a clear sign of their recent presence. They occur further south, but north, as the bush gets denser and denser with more and more trees, they are rarely seen, as they cede territory to their African cousins, the black rhino.

White rhinos form groups called crashes, usually of up to 8 or 10 members. These crashes are generally females with their calves. Calves or young rhinos are born and raised in these groups, only leaving when they reach maturity and go in search of a mating partner. On the other hand, males also sometimes form all-male groups, but they mostly live solitary lives, living alone until the mating season when they search for a mate. Males typically have territory near that of a female group, making it easier to find a partner in the mating season.

A group or crash typically goes about their daily business together. They enjoy mud bathing and scratching their backs against the bark of trees – a way of seeing if a rhino lives nearby, as an individual rhino or crash will use the same tree for this purpose over and over until it eventually gets too smooth or dies. They sleep very little, roughly 5 hours a day, like most other herbivores, even though they aren't as vulnerable to predators. Rhinos are also very territorial, with males marking their territory through a lengthy process where they urinate or spray excrement on the borders of their respective regions – something that also occupies time every day.

Reproduction and the many rituals that go with it are odd among rhinos. When a female rhino enters the territory of a male, he blocks her way out of the territory, making a loud calling sound as he approaches her. If she is ready to mate, she will lift her tail, and their 30-minute mating process will start. He will stay with her for between 5 days and three weeks, with intermittent mating periods during this time, and then they will go their separate ways. She will carry her young for 1½ years and then give birth to a calf between 40 and 70kg. This process can begin when females reach sexual maturity between 6 and 7 years and males reach sexual maturity between the ages of 11 and 13.

White rhinos aren't as aggressive as black rhinos but can still get quite hostile, especially when their young are threatened. Young rhinos run in front of their parents, which enables parents to see them and keep them safe. Lions pose the most significant natural threat to rhino calves, but poachers kill more rhinos than any of the natural predators that rhinos have. Rhinos can fend off predators with their front horns if necessary, though their size and weight are typically enough to intimidate any predator. It is this size they rely on when you get too close to their calves since charging is their typical response to any threat to the safety of their crash.