Black Rhino Facts
with Hope and Nicky: Black Rhino Ambassadors
see the world through our eyes... www.nataliesolveland.com
Nicky
Nicky was born blind on Lewa 10 months ago. The chances of him surviving in the wild were slim, so he is being hand-raised to ensure his survival. Rhino Fact 1: Black rhinos generally have poor eyesight but make up for it with an excellent sense of smell and hearing.
Hope
Hope is three-months-old and was moved to Lewa from Ol Pejeta after his mother was killed by poachers. Despite losing his mum at such a tender age, he is thriving in the loving care of his keepers. Rhino Fact 2: Black rhino calves stay with their mother for 2-4 years before leaving, usually when the female is ready to calve again.
Hope and Nicky spend the day eating – feeding every three hours. Between the two of them, they drink up to 16-litres of milk a day!
Rhino Fact 3: Black rhinos are browsers feeding on twigs, branches, and leaves from various shrubs – they especially like acacias.
After feeding, Hope and Nicky love taking naps.
Rhino Fact 4: Rhinos tend to move around more in the morning and evening when it is cooler and sleep during the day when it is hot. They can sleep up to eight hours a day at intervals!
Nicky and Hope have been inseparable since they met. Hope follows Nicky everywhere like an obedient little brother.
Rhino Fact 5: Adult male black rhinos are solitary and territorial. A typical bulls’ territorial range is generally around 3.9km -4.7km.
Hope and Nicky love taking mud baths.
Rhino Fact 6: Rhinos wallow in the mud to cool down when the temperature is too hot during the day. Wallowing also protects against parasites.
Nicky and Hope are well taken care of in a secure environment where they run and play all day.
Rhino Fact 7: Black rhinos run on their toes and can go as fast as 35 mph.
An Endangered Species
Rhino Fact 8: Black rhinos are listed as critically endangered on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. The black rhino population currently stands at 5055 thanks to vigorous conservation efforts but the unprecedented levels of poaching may see this number drastically drop.
How Can YOU Help
With the price of rhino horn being greater than that of gold, no rhino is safe. Awareness is needed to reach consumers of rhino horn on the consequences of rhino poaching. Thank you for reading (and sharing) this booklet about Nicky and Hope, we hope you enjoyed it! Visit www.olpejetaconservancy.org AND www.lewa.org