Meet the Rhino
When it comes to why this illustrious group of mammals was dubbed the Big Five—due to their status as the most dangerous animals to encounter on foot or hunting—the black rhino should be included. The hooked lip of this species distinguishes it from the wide mouth of the white rhino.
Both species have two horns from keratin growing at the front of their faces. They use it when feeding, to dig up roots or break branches, as well as a defence mechanism when fighting. The longest horns recorded on a white and black rhino respectively were in the region of a 150cm. There is a distinction between black and white rhinos when it comes to rearing calves. The calf of a white rhino cow runs in front of her while a black rhino calf runs behind the cow.
More of the Big Five
Lion
The Big Five
The king of the animal world rules supreme over the grasslands and savannah of sub-Saharan Africa as the second largest cat in the world.
Elephant
The Big Five
As a senior member of the herd, a matriarch leads several adult cows and their off-spring that includes younger cows and sub-adult bulls.
Leopard
The Big Five
The leopard has the greatest distribution of all cats across sub-Saharan Africa. The least social, yet perhaps the most beautiful of the African Big Cats
Buffalo
The Big Five
The Cape buffalo may present itself as just another bovine. However, its unpredictable mood has given rise to nicknames such as “ widowmaker”.