17 Unknown Things You Should Know About White Rhinoceros

             Kingdom : Animalia
                    Class : Mammalia
                 Family : Rhinocerotidae
  Scientific Name : Ceratotherium simum

                      Size : 3.4 - 4.2m (11 - 14ft)
                 Weight : 1,440- 3,600kg 
                                 (3,168 - 7,920lbs)
           Top Speed : 42km/h (30mph)
            Life Span : 45km/h (50mph)

                Colour : Brown, Grey, Black
           Skin Type : Leather
Special Features : Hard, thick skin and 
                                  two large horns

1. Found in the grasslands of Africa, the White Rhinoceros is the largest of rhinos.
2. The White Rhino is not white but its colour ranges from brown to grey.
3. They have a bulky body, square upper lip, a shoulder hump and 2 horns.
4. Although they are heavy, they are quite agile and can run very fast.
5. Being strictly herbivorous, White Rhinos are extremely picky eaters and eat only grass.
6. White Rhinoceros can live for about 45 – 50 years on an average.
7. Females mature sexually around 4 – 5 years and males around 10 – 12 years.
8. Their horns are made up of a protein called keratin and are in demand.
9. They are highly territorial and mark their territories with piles of dung.
10. They are social animals, living in groups called herds of about 14 individuals.
11. Gestation period is about 16 months and usually a single calf is born.
12. Calves stay close to their mothers for about 2 years until they become independent.
13. White Rhinoceroses like to wallow in muddy waters to keep themselves cool.
14. The muddy coating also acts as an insect repellent and as a sunscreen.
15. They are usually active at dawn and dusk, sheltering from the sun during daytime.
16. They have very poor eyesight and rely on their sense of hearing and smell.
17. They communicate with each other through bellows, squeals, snorts, grunts, growls and panting calls.