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Kowari

Northern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum cottoni)

The male "Angalifu" of the remaining pair.

Northern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum cottoni)
Kowari, 9 Dec 2010
amur leopard and UngulateNerd92 like this.
    • Kowari
      The male "Angalifu" of the remaining pair.
    • Dallaspachyderm
      Why has the pair not bred?
    • Otter Lord
      They are past breeding age.
    • Baldur
      Is it a wall behind the rhino? Meaning, are they off exhibit now?
    • Kowari
      They're still in the South African savannah exhibit (which is also home to further non-South African species).
    • FBBird
      Northern White Rhinoceros

      Can someone more knowledgeable than me, just talk me through how this can be identified as a Northern from this picture, please?
    • Maguari
      One I've seen mentioned (though I'm not sure how reliable it is) is to look for a hairy fringe on the ears for it to be a Northern - which is a bit vague. Basically they are very hard to tell apart.

      Genetically-speaking (which generally carries more weight in modern taxonomy, rightly or wrongly) they are significantly different, but of course that can't be seen from looking! Colin Groves (a taxonomic splitter par excellence) has even proposed that be split into two species. (PLoS ONE: The Sixth Rhino: A Taxonomic Re-Assessment of the Critically Endangered Northern White Rhinoceros)

      For the record, Groves used dentition and craniometry (i.e. skull measurements) to distinguish the two morphologically.
    • FBBird
      Northern White Rhinoceros

      Many thanks Maguari; sounds like the Douroucouli [have I spelt that right?] all over again.
    • Maguari
      The 'new' douroucoulis are actually often quite physically distinct compared to some of the things Groves has split!
    • Fossa dude
      It is sad because all the remaining Northern White Rhinos are in captivity and past breeding age. I only saw the female but she really made my day when I went there this summer ( knowing that I saw a species that is on the brink of total extinction ) Sad isn't it. But still very lucky to see such a gem.
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  • Category:
    San Diego Zoo Safari Park
    Uploaded By:
    Kowari
    Date:
    9 Dec 2010
    View Count:
    3,138
    Comment Count:
    16