Black rhino vs white rhino
Despite the names, both rhinos are grey. The difference is in the mouth, the head and the way they feed.
Quick tip: Check the lip. Hooked means black rhino, square means white rhino.
Five field marks
| Field mark | Black rhino | White rhino |
|---|---|---|
| Lip | Pointed, hooked upper lip for grabbing leaves and twigs. | Wide, square lip for cropping grass. |
| Head | Usually held up, browsing at bush height. | Usually held low, close to the ground. |
| Size | Smaller and more compact. | Larger, with a big hump on the neck. |
| Food | A browser: shrubs, branches and leaves. | A grazer: short grass. |
| Calves | The calf usually follows behind its mother. | The calf usually walks in front of its mother. |
Five real camera-trap photos. Can you tell them apart?
Why it matters
The black rhino is Critically Endangered and the white rhino is Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Poaching for horn is the biggest threat to both, which is why ranger patrols and camera traps matter so much.
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Photos: Snapshot Safari via LILA BC, CDLA-Permissive-1.0. We cropped camera banners, resized the images and removed their metadata. Field marks written by Save the Animals. Red List status from the IUCN.