White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) Fact Sheet: Reproduction & Development

Characteristic courtship behaviors

• Behavior of territorial male
  • Typically not aggressive towards females during oestrus
    • Unlike the black rhino, little horn jousting occurs between male and female
  • Spend one to two weeks nearby to habituate a female to his presence
  • Attempts to block female from leaving his territory
    • Does not follow her if she gets past him; therefore, there is little fighting between males for access to females

Mating frequency

• Adult females
  • Only 40% of females mated in any given year in Zululand, South Africa
• Territorial males
  • Mate only once or twice a year in Zululand, South Africa
• Subordinate males
  • Rarely mate

Estrus

• First estrus
  • c. 5 years of age
• Estrus cycle
  • ~ 30 days, in the wild (Swaisgood 2001)
  • See Managed Care tab for further information

Gestation

• Duration
  • 16 months

Parturition

• First parturition
  • 6.5-7 years of age
• Interbirth interval (time between consecutive births)
  • 2-3 years
• Litter size
  • 1

Birth

• Development
  • Up and about in three days

Calves

• Development and care
  • Still dependent on the mother
  • Eat grass within a month of birth
  • Weaning
    • Begun within c. four weeks of birth, typically
    • Calf continues to nurse occasionally for about a year or more

 Adolescents

• Development
  • Independent of mother, but not sexually mature
  • Separation usually occurs after the birth of a new calf in two to three years

 Adult

• Age at sexual maturity
  • Females
    • c. 7 years
  • Males
    • 10-12 years

Managed care

• Median life expectancy
  • 36.5 years (male, female data combined) (AZA 2024)

Predators

• Minor contributor to adult mortality
• Calf mortality
  
• Lions may be a minor threat to calves
• Hyena not known to attack, one study in Umfolozi or Hluhluwe Game Reserves (Owen-Smith 1973)
• Hyena known to attack black rhino calve

A calf will remain with his mother for several years. Young typically become independed after 2-3 years, coinciding with the birth of the next sibling.

Image credit: © San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. All rights reserved.

Owen-Smith (1973)
Pienaar (1995)
Swaisgood (2001)