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Rhinos
There are five species of rhinoceros in the world of which two species are found in Africa - the White or Square-lip Rhino (Ceratotherium simum) and the Black or Hook-lip Rhino (Diceros bicornis). The black rhino found in the Serengeti-Ngorongoro Ecosystem belong to the ecotype Diceros bicornis michaeli (called after There are not always visible distinguishing characteristics between the different ecotypes (most taxonomic work has been done on skull sizes). However, in D. b. michaeli there are two characteristics that can be seen in some individuals (not all) which differentiate them from the other ecotypes. Firstly, they tend to have a heavier fringe of hair on the ears, and secondly, the skin on the flanks sometimes forms 'grooves' or 'corrugations', which look much like the ribs of the animal. Some animals, however, are born with smooth skin and have very little ear hair. Black rhino were once numerous on the Serengeti plains. But their horns are still in demand, in the Far East as local drugs and in the Arab world as the handle for daggers, resulting in heavy poaching. Consequently, the number of rhino in the Serengeti has been reduced to a handful and these are under heavy protection by the park's armed anti-poaching rangers to try to ensure their survival. White rhino are not found in the Serengeti. |
