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Rhino Q&A (Questions and Answers)
If you would like to post a question for our team to answer click here to contact Angie.
Q: Why do people call the white Rhinos white when in reality they are not white? A: This originates from its WIDE muzzle (mouth), which is the word ‘weit’ in Afrikaans.
Q: Are black rhinos black? A: No, they are grey, exactly the same colour as white rhinos!
Q: What is the difference between black and white rhinos? A: The white rhinos are bigger and less aggressive than the black rhinos. Another big difference can be seen in their mouth: white rhinos have a wide, flat, square shaped mouth, suitable for grazing grass. Black rhinos have a pointy mouth, with the upper lip bending over the lower lip, almost like the beak of a parrot, to help them eat in the bush.
Q: How long is the gestation period of a rhino (how long are they pregnant)? A: It is 14 to 16 months. It is very hard to see when a rhino is pregnant, even shortly before giving birth.
Q: How long does the calf stay with the mother? A: The calf remains close to the mother two to three years, until she gets another calf.
Q: How many calves can a rhino have in a lifetime? A: They always get 1 at the time. Starting at age 7 years, up till approx. age 32 years is 25 years of reproduction. They get one calf average per 2-3 years, so one female rhino could produce 12 calves.
Q: Is the rhino’s horn really a horn? A: The rhino 'horn' is not a real horn but thickly mated hair, consisting of Keratin; the same chemical substance as our finger nails
Q: How fast does a rhino horn grow? A: It grows about 3cms per year.
Q: How long can a rhino horn be? A: Black rhinos can have a front horn up to 1 meter! The second, shorter horn can grow up to 50 cm.
Q: What is the lifespan of a rhino? A: 30-40 years. They get a bit older in captivity than they do in the wild.
Q: How many rhinos are in Africa? A: There are approximately 11,000 white rhinos and 3,500 black rhinos.
Q: Do rhinos make sounds? A: Yes, they puff and snort when they charge, give a high-pitched squeal when they call another rhino, and grunt and bellow when they fight with another rhino.
Q. What is the history of rhinos in Uganda? A. There were thousands a long time back, and about 60 in the 1960s. Due to extreme poaching, the last rhino was killed in 1982!
Q: Are the rhinos safe at Ziwa? A: Our rhinos are protected 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We have an electric fence that surrounds the sanctuary and have rangers and askaris physically with the rhinos 24 hours a day.
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