The rhino is one of Africa’s famous Big 5, and spotting one of these majestic creatures in the wild is a prized experience for safari-goers – especially as they are critically endangered, with an estimated total population of just 21,000. When visiting East Africa, you’ll be lucky enough to have some great rhino-spotting opportunities in both Kenya and Tanzania. Here’s a handy guide to help you know which type of rhino you’re seeing – the northern white rhino or the southern white rhino.
Did you know? Rhino belong to the order Perissodactyla – the “odd-toed” mammals and the family Rhinocerotidae (Rhinoceroses). Their front and back feet each have three toes. The genus name for the white rhino is Ceratotherium, from the Greek cerato (horn) and thorium (wild beast). The species name is simum (flat-nosed).
How do you tell the difference between northern and southern white rhino?
Northern vs Southern White Rhino: The Differences
Northern and southern white rhino were originally thought to be subspecies of one another, but now it’s believed that they are two separate species entirely. Here are a few key differences to help you tell them apart:
| Northern white rhino | Southern white rhino |
| Smaller, weighing 1400-1600 kg (adult male) | Larger, weighing 2000-2400 kg (adult male) |
| Straight back | Concave back and prominent shoulder hump |
| Flat skull | Concave skull |
| No grooves between ribs | May have distinct vertical grooves between ribs |
| Hairier ears and tails | More body hair |
| Shorter front horn | Longer front horn |
Did you know? White rhino aren’t actually “white”. The name white is derived from the German word weid meaning “wide”. The wide mouth is indicative of its feeding habits – white rhino are grazers, whereas black rhino are browsers and have a hooked upper lip.
The Last of the Northern White Rhino
The northern white rhino used to range across parts of Uganda, Chad, Sudan, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Years of widespread poaching and civil war in their home territory have devastated northern white rhino populations, and they are now considered to be extinct in the wild.
On the 19th of March 2018, we lost the last male northern white rhino and the world mourned. Sudan, the 45-year-old gentle giant, had to be euthanised after his health dramatically declined following a severe leg infection. Sudan’s last moments were spent at his home in the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya, with all of his closest and dearest minders and carers close by.
Sudan’s passing has left only two northern white rhinos alive in the world, both of them females. The two ladies are Sudan’s daughter, Najin, and granddaughter, Fatu, who also live in the Ol Pejeta Conservancy. Efforts are now being made to reproduce northern white rhinos using advanced cellular technologies and the genetic material that was collected from Sudan after his passing.
The Best Places to Stay to See Rhino in East Africa
1. Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Kenya
In addition to housing the last remaining northern white rhino, Ol Pejeta is home to 44 southern white rhino and 165 black rhino (the largest black rhino population in East Africa). The conservancy is also a safe haven for a number of other endangered, threatened and vulnerable species, including the African wild dog and Grevy’s zebra.
At Ol Pejeta, you can arrange to meet the world’s last northern white rhino, or go horse-riding among the southern white rhino in the endangered species enclosure. You can also take an educational walking adventure through the conservancy with the rhino monitoring team.
Accommodation: Ol Pejeta Bush Camp
2. Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Kenya
Lewa was originally established as a small rhino sanctuary in the 1980s, and following the growth of the population, the new conservancy was set up in 1995. There are 255 black and white rhino in Lewa Wildlife Conservancy today.
While staying in the conservancy, you can enjoy classic game drives, night drives and walking safaris, as well as scenic helicopter rides and educational conservation excursions.
Accommodation: Lewa House
3. Nairobi National Park, Kenya
Nairobi National Park is home to about 76 black rhino and 13 white rhino. Close to the Kenyan capital of Nairobi, the park features a unique backdrop of the city’s skyscrapers contrasting with the natural grassland and acacia forest.
Another major attraction in Nairobi National Park is the elephant orphanage. Visitors to the park can also expect to see giraffe, buffalo, big cats and over 400 species of bird.
Accommodation: Ole Sereni Hotel
4. Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania
In the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, you can spot rhino while you enjoy a game drive across the floor of the famous Ngorongoro Crater. An estimated 30,000 large mammals live inside this massive crater, including lion, cheetah, leopard, hyena, zebra and buffalo.
Accommodation: &Beyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge
5. Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
Serengeti National Park is home to the Serengeti Rhino Project, which is dedicated to boosting the area’s black rhino population. More rhino have been introduced to the area over the years to improve genetic diversity. In the 1990s, there were just three black rhino left in the park – today, the area has an estimated 50 black rhino breeding in the wild.
Staying in Serengeti National Park is an excellent choice if you want to cross all of the Big 5 off your game-spotting wishlist.
Accommodation: Kubu Kubu Tented Lodge
Asilia Stays Help Rhino Conservation Efforts
Booking a safari with Asilia contributes to conservation in the area, including efforts to protect the rhino in East Africa. Guests contribute a donation of US$5 for each night that they stay with us.
For the opportunity to see southern and northern white rhino and black rhino in the wild, book your East African safari with Asilia today.
