Eastern Black Rhine 

Diceros bicornis michaeli

IUCN Status: Critically endangered

At Howletts we have one female black rhino; Damara, and one bull named Sammy.

Black Rhino are critically endangered mainly due to poaching. They are killed for their horns and in recent years the increase has been driven by a growing demand, mostly from Asian consumers who use it in folk remedies, despite proof that it has no medicinal value at all.

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The closest living relative to the rhino are tapirs, horses and zebras.  They are part of a group of mammals known as odd toed ungulates or Perissodactyla. Rhinos generally have poor eyesight, but they make up for this with their incredible hearing and strong sense of smell.

Despite their size, black rhino are capable of reaching a top speed of around 35mph and will charge when threatened, lowering their head and using their horn for maximum impact.