Southern white rhino

White rhino facts

How many rhino species are there?

The rhinoceros has been around for 50 million years and today just five species remain. One of these species is the white rhino, or white rhinoceros, found in grasslands in Africa’s bushveld (suptropical woodland) savannah. 

What do white rhinos look like?

• Both males and females of the species have two horns, with the longest at the front. These are used in defence against rival rhinos and predators. 
   
• Rhino horns are made of densely packed, tiny tubes of keratin (a protein that fingernails and hair are made of). And, like nails and hair, they grow back if they are cut off. The dark core of the horn is strengthened by calcium and melanin.
   
• The broad square-shaped upper lip comes in handy for cropping large quantities of grasses. 
   
• The white rhino has a pronounced shoulder hump of muscle and a thick neck to support its massive head, which is lowered for grazing for much of the day. 
   
• Don’t be fooled by the name – a white rhino’s nearly hairless skin is slate-grey to yellow-brown in colour, not white. 
   
• The largest rhinoceros species, a male white rhino weighs in at 2.3 tonnes and reaches 3.7-4 metres from head to tail, while females are slightly smaller at 1.7 tonnes and 3.4-3.65 metres in length. 

Are there rhinos at Whipsnade Zoo?

Yes, Whipsnade Zoo is home to two species of rhino: southern white rhinos and greater one-horned rhinos. 

Visit our rhinos at Whipsnade Zoo

In 2024, we welcomed, not one, but two baby rhinos! Both calves were born as part of the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP), to help create a genetically diverse and healthy back up population of the species. Learn more about our 'crash' of southern white rhinos and how to tell them apart:

Khulu

• Date of birth: 2 October 2024
• Place of birth: Whipsnade Zoo
• Gender: Male

Born to mum Fahari, the bouncy rhino calf has been named Khulu, a Zulu word that can mean both small and significant. 

Benja

• Date of birth: 7 March 2024
• Place of birth: Whipsnade Zoo
• Gender: Male

A very playful rhino calf, Benja was Jaseera's first calf and weighed in at 45kg when he was born. 

Nandi 

• Date of birth: 21 August 2021
• Place of birth: Whipsnade Zoo
• Gender: Female 

Nandi, which means ‘sweet one’ in Zulu, was born to mum Tuli and dad Sizzle. 

Sizzle (or Nsiswa)

• Date of birth: Exact date unknown, but born in 1988
• Place of birth: Hluluwe-Umfolozi reserve in South Africa
• Gender: Male

Sizzle, our only adult male, is a firm favourite of many keepers that have worked with him, is a big softy at heart and loves a good scratch! He's our chunkiest white rhino and has shorter, thicker horns than the girls. However, Mikumi gives him a run for his money in terms of size! He's dad to calves, Nandi, Benja and Khulu. 

Fahari

• Date of birth: 8 September 2017 
• Joined us from: West Midlands Safari Park  
• Gender: Female

Fahari is small, but can stand her ground against all of the older rhinos! She is very close with Jaseera and Bertha, and is mum to Khulu. She loves a scratch and will lift her leg right up!

Mikumi 

• Date of birth: 24 September 1990
• Place of birth: Edinburgh Zoo
• Gender: Female

Mikumi is the biggest female and is fairly close to the size of Sizzle. Her top horn has been cut down slightly. 

Tuli 

• Date of birth: 15 January 2007
• Place of birth: Efurt Zoo, Germany
• Gender: Female

Tuli is very energetic and food orientated. She's one of the quieter rhinos in the herd, often seen with Mikumi, but gets on with everyone. She has your ‘typical’ rhino horns, which are both curved and pointing upright. She's mum to calf Nandi. 

Jaseera

• Date of birth: 12 January 2011
• Joined us from: Knowsley Safari Park
• Gender: Female

When Jaseera first arrived with Fahari (from different collections), she was a mother figure to her, and is still just as close, and has also formed an attachment with Bertha. Jaseera is mum to male calf, Benja. You can tell Jaseera apart from the others as she's lost her horn. This doesn’t hurt her at all, and it has started growing back already, but will take a good few years to fully grow back.

Bertha

• Date of birth: Exact date unknown but was born in 1998
• Joined us from: Knuthenborg Zoo 
• Gender: Female

Bertha is probably our most stubborn white rhino! She is very independent but has now made very good friends with Jaseera who doesn’t leave her side, along with Fahari who is often seen nearby. You can tell her apart from the others as her top horn crosses over her bottom horn.