Lethal List #2 - Black Rhinoceros

The Black Rhinoceros is the second focus of our lethal list series. Rhinos are members of the Perissodactyla order (odd-toed ungulates). Exactly what it sounds like, members of Perissodactyla share the trait of an odd number of toes, and have only one stomach chamber unlike their even-toed relatives. Other members of the order include horses, zebras, donkeys and tapirs.

The Black Rhino's scientific name is Diceros bicornis. The Diceros genus is one of 4 Rhinoceros genera, and consists of up to 5 extant subspecies.

The Black Rhino and the White Rhino are the two species which live in Africa, with the Black Rhino being the smaller and more aggressive of the two.

These big creatures are herbivorous, relying on woody plant life like shrubs and trees for their food, and despite their size (males can get up to 1350kg (2976lbs)) have been seen running at 55km/h (34mph).

Black Rhinoceros tend to have one calf at a time, which will remain with the mother for 2-4 years, depending upon when the mother becomes ready to have another offspring. Originally thought to be purely solitary, the rhinos have recently been seen in small groups, suggesting that depending on the habitat they may occasionally live in groups.

Currently less than 5000 Black Rhinoceros are left in the wild. The World Wildlife Fund classifies them as critically endangered. The Black Rhino Expansion Project has been working since 2003 to protect the habitat of the Black Rhino and to grow its numbers. They assist in the monitoring of 850 miles of habitat and have helped to facilitate breeding groups which have resulted in the birth of 70 calves since the project's start.

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