Rhinoceros on the Savanna Coloring Page: PDF Sheet

The Rhinoceros and Its Two Horns

Horns Made of Keratin

A rhinoceros horn is not made of bone. It is built from keratin, the very same material found in human hair and fingernails, packed into a dense, tough spike. Most African rhinos, like the one standing here, carry two horns, with a longer front horn and a shorter one behind it. The horns keep growing throughout the animal's life and are used to defend territory, guide calves, and dig for water and roots.

Sadly, it is those very horns that put rhinos in danger. Because some people wrongly believe the keratin has special powers, rhinos have been heavily poached, and several species are now critically endangered. Rangers in many parks now guard rhinos around the clock, and some are even fitted with tracking tags to keep them safe.

White Rhinos and Black Rhinos

Africa is home to two rhino species: the white rhino and the black rhino. Despite the names, both are grey. The white rhino is the larger of the two and can weigh up to five thousand pounds, making it the second-largest land animal after the elephant. It has a wide, square lip perfect for grazing grass close to the ground, exactly the kind of open savanna grass shown in this scene.

The black rhino is smaller and has a pointed, hooked upper lip that works almost like a finger, letting it grab leaves and twigs from bushes and low trees. So while a white rhino keeps its head down grazing, a black rhino often browses higher up, and the two species can share the same landscape without competing for the very same food.

Senses, Speed, and the Oxpecker Bird

Rhinos have poor eyesight and can barely make out a still figure a short distance away. To make up for it they have an excellent sense of smell and sharp hearing, with ears that swivel to catch faint sounds. Despite their heavy build, rhinos can charge at more than thirty miles per hour, wheeling around with surprising quickness for an animal that can weigh as much as a small car.

Small birds called oxpeckers often ride on a rhino's back, picking off ticks and insects and giving loud alarm calls when danger is near. In parts of Africa the oxpecker is even nicknamed the rhino's guard. This partnership helps the rhino stay clean and warned, while the bird gets an easy meal.

Rhinos of Africa and Asia

Beyond Africa's two species, three more kinds of rhino live in Asia: the greater one-horned rhino of India and Nepal, plus the rare Javan and Sumatran rhinos. The greater one-horned rhino has thick, folded skin that looks like plates of armor, and unlike its African cousins it carries just a single horn. All five species prefer to spend the hottest hours wallowing in mud, which cools the skin and blocks biting insects.

A mother rhino carries her calf for fifteen to sixteen months, one of the longest pregnancies of any land animal, and the calf may stay by her side for two to four years. Groups of rhinos are sometimes called a crash, a fitting name for such powerful animals. Protecting the open grasslands and acacia country in this scene is one of the best ways to help these ancient giants survive.