Desert-adapted Black Rhinoceros
Namibia, Africa
Namibia is home to the desert-adapted black rhino, a subspecies of the black rhino that has learned to survive in the arid Kunene and Damaraland regions. These rhinos are unique, surviving on a diet of plants that are toxic to other animals and can go for days without drinking water. They are generally solitary, though a mother will stay with her calf for up to two and a half years to teach it how to survive. They are often nocturnal to avoid the heat.
Like all black rhinos, they are browsers and have a prehensile, or hook-lipped, upper lip adapted for browsing on tree and shrub ends. They eat highly toxic plants like euphorbia damarana, known as the Damara milk-bush. This plant is regarded as one of the most toxic plants in Namibia, but specific studies into its toxicity are not known. It has been reported that the toxic, milky latex of the plant is capable of killing animals and humans, except for the rhino and oryx who feed upon it.
This rhinoceros has been dehorned to eliminate it as a target to poachers. The horn has partially grown back.
Photo © copyright by Dr. Edward Mikol.
Photo Prints
Metal Prints
Canvas Prints
Acrylic Prints