III. Back from the Brink

Southern white rhino

Index Naturae

IN 2.10.22-J

Southern white rhino

Ceratotherium simum simum

Young portrait

III. Back from the Brink

Field notes

The southern white rhino feeds with its broad, square lip close to the ground, cropping grass into short grazing lawns. Females and younger animals can form social groups, while dominant males defend territories. This is the southern subspecies of the white rhinoceros.

Range
Southern Africa, centred on South Africa, with translocated populations elsewhere in Africa.
Habitat
Grassland, savanna and open shrubland with abundant grazing.

Conservation

Protection and translocations rebuilt the southern subspecies after severe historical decline. Poaching for horn remains a major threat, and populations require sustained management. Its recovery history should not be confused with the far more precarious northern white rhino.

Sources & conservation context
  1. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance — White Rhinoceros
  2. SANBI — Non-detriment finding for Ceratotherium simum simum, 1 October 2024
  3. International Rhino Foundation — White Rhino

Source review: 6 October 2026. Assessment dates, where given, belong to the cited source.