Big FiveCritically Endangered
Black Rhinoceros
Diceros bicornis
Observe endangered black rhinos in true wilderness with Samton's exclusive Kenya & Tanzania safaris!
About the Black Rhinoceros
The black rhinoceros is one of the most endangered large mammals on the planet. Once numbering over 100,000 in the 1960s, relentless poaching reduced their numbers to fewer than 2,500 by the 1990s. Intensive conservation efforts have helped recover the population to around 5,500 today.
Despite their name, black rhinos are actually grey. The "black" label was coined to distinguish them from the larger white rhinoceros. Black rhinos have a distinctive hooked upper lip adapted for browsing on shrubs and trees, while white rhinos have a wide, flat lip for grazing.
In East Africa, the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania and Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya are among the best places to see black rhinos. The Masai Mara also hosts a small, closely guarded population.
Fun Facts
1
Despite poor eyesight, rhinos have excellent hearing and sense of smell
2
A rhino's horn is made of keratin — the same protein as human fingernails
3
They can charge at speeds of up to 55 km/h
Best Places
Where to See the Black Rhinoceros
These are the top destinations where you have the best chance of spotting the Black Rhinoceros in the wild.
More Safari Animals
WILDLIFE SAFARI
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