They are the last ones of their kind and truly fascinating: Africa’s black rhinos. (posted by Hughes Ruth in Rhinos for the Future).
Unfortunately, the grey giants are often misunderstood and have a reputation for always being grumpy. But in fact, although black rhinos are solitary, they socialize with other black rhinos much more than was previously known. Females in particular like to interact with each other, and since they have overlapping home ranges, a number of females will often get together. Sometimes males also socialize with them. The animals might spend a day or two together, before going their separate ways.
A BBC documentary shows a group of black rhinos gathering at a waterhole at night. The footage shows night-time liaisons involving kisses, cuddles and a level of social interaction previously unknown in the species. The reason why we still don’t know a lot about the social life of rhinos and their interactions with each other, is because most of this behavior takes place at night when they are active.
Research shows that these rhinos have distinctive characters with various temperaments. Some animals are very relaxed and don’t mind being followed, while others will run towards any disturbance and some people previously have had to climb a tree and wait there until the black rhino moves off. Trackers and guides from conservation groups such as the Desert Rhino Trust, have been doing vital work to learn more about the endangered rhinos and to prevent poaching. They track the rhinos on a daily basis, hence getting to know their territory and routine as well as the animals’ character. By keeping an eye on the rhinos, they make it more difficult for poachers.
