Bull: Shoulder height 180 cm; tail 100 cm; mass 2000 - 2300 kg
Cow: Shoulder height 180 cm; tail 100 cm; mass 1400 - 1600 kg
The square-lipped rhinoceros is much larger than the hook-lipped rhinoceros. The skin-colour is grey, but this is often influenced by the colour of the mud and dust in which it rolls. A large, distinctive hump is present on the neck. The head is long and carried low, frequently only a few centimetres above the ground, and terminates in a broad, square muzzle. There are two horns on the face, the front one usually being the longer. The ears are large and pointed.
The white rhino can be distinguished from the black rhino by some features in its appearance. The white rhino is larger than the black rhino and it has a a square muzzle and a hump on the neck.
Preference for short-grassed areas, with thick bush cover and water. Where adequate food is available it will occupy a wide range of open woodland associations.
White rhinos are more sociable than black rhinos. Territorial bulls occupy clearly defined territories, which are defended against neighbouring bulls, subordinate bulls may remain as long as they remain submissive. The home range of a cow may overlap with the territories of several territorial bulls.
They are active at night but feeding takes place during the cooler morning and afternoon hours.
Grazing with a preference for short grass.
The English name of the white rhino probably finds its origin in the Afrikaans language (which developed from Dutch). The Afrikaans word wyd (wide) refers to the width of the rhinoceros mouth. Early English settlers misinterpreted the word 'wyd' to 'white', therefore the rhino with the wide mouth ended up being called white rhino. The other rhino, with the narrow pointed mouth, was called the black rhinoceros.
Both rhino species have rapidly declined in numbers as a result of the demand for their horns. The horns were carved into dagger handles for tribesmen and were used in the production of traditional medicines.
Wikipedia - white rhino
Wikipedia - black rhino