These animals were much more abundant and diverse in
the past, but today they are fighting for their very existence in the wild.
Poached for their horn that is used in folk medicines and believed to be
an aphrodesiac, the black rhinoceros' population has been reduced drastically
in its native Africa. Unlike the horns of cattle or antelopes, a rhino's
horn has no bony core, but is composed of a hair-like protein. Strong and
fast, one attribute a rhino does not possess is good eyesight. With poor
vision, these two-ton heavy weights will charge almost anything, including
their own shadows. Dangerous and unpredictable, rhinos are basically solitary
except for a mother and her young offspring.
Lincoln Park Zoo's participation in the black rhino SSP reflects the zoo's
long-standing commitment to preserving this highly endangered species.