BLACK RHINOCEOS

Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) :
The black rhinoceros is classified as a member of the order Perissodactyla (Odd-Toed Hoofed Mammals) and is a member of the family Rhinocerotidae. The black rhinoceros grows up to twelve feet long and six feet high. It weighs up to three thousand pounds. The black rhinoceros is classified as a critically endangered species due to a reduction of at least 80% of the black rhinoceros population over the last three generations based on direct observation, an index of abundance, and a decline in area of occupancy. The black rhinoceros is the most aggressive species in the rhinoceros family, and can charge at speeds up to thirty miles per hour.

Prehistoric in appearance and intriguing in behavior, rhinos in the late 20th century joined the ranks of the most critically endangered animals in the world. Rhinos are one of the largest free-roaming mammals left on the planet and they play an important role in ecosystems by serving as "landscape architects" of their habitat. Rhinos are seed dispersers, consuming various plants and then, as inadvertent gardeners, distributing their seeds throughout their range. Since it can take a rhino more than three days to digest a meal, seeds can be transported a significant distance before they are deposited in droppings. Rhino dung also enhances soil fertility and nourishes the landscape.

The existence of this majestic species is increasingly threatened, due primarily to poaching and habitat loss. As the rhino is one of its flagship species, WWF is directing innovative conservation efforts in Asia and Africa that have already produced results and promise a more secure future for the rhino.