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White Rhinoceros
Ceratotherium simum
Silhouette: Oscar Sanisidro · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassMammalia (Mammals)
- OrderPerissodactyla (Odd-toed Ungulates)
- FamilyRhinocerotidae (Rhinoceroses)
- GenusCeratotherium (Wide-lipped Rhinoceroses)
- SpeciesCeratotherium simum (White Rhinoceros)
In 3 days ~90% in a week >90%
22 Verified sightings at Meru National Park From 2019 to 2026
2,113 In all 15 parks
November Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted
About the White Rhinoceros
The white rhinoceros, also known as the white rhino or square-lipped rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum), is the largest extant species of rhinoceros and the most social of all rhino species, characterized by its wide mouth adapted for grazing. The species includes two subspecies with dramatically different conservation outlooks: the southern white rhinoceros, with an estimated 17,464 individuals in the wild as of the end of 2023, and the northern white rhinoceros. The northern subspecies is critically endangered and on the brink of extinction; its last known male, Sudan, died in March 2018, leaving behind only two females. Both subspecies have faced significant threats, primarily from poaching for their horns and habitat loss, which contribute to the species' overall conservation status of Near Threatened. White rhinoceros can run up to 40 mph (64 km/h) for very short bursts. They can maintain speeds of around 30–31 mph (48–50 km/h) for a good amount of time, and they have good stamina.
The origin of the name "white rhinoceros" is unknown, but one popular, though discredited, theory for the origin of the name "white rhinoceros" is a mistranslation of the Dutch word "wijd... Wikipedia →
Sounds
Call0:16
South Africa · 2023
© Marc Anderson · XC979555 · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Recent sightings of White Rhinoceros in Meru National Park
LIVEiNaturalistGlobal Distribution
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake Nakuru National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 2 | Akagera National Park | 🇷🇼 Rwanda | |
| 3 | Nairobi National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 4 | Meru National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 5 | Pilanesberg National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 6 | Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 7 | Waterberg Plateau Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia | |
| 8 | uMkhuze Game Reserve | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 9 | Aberdare National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 10 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 11 | Etosha National Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia | |
| 12 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 13 | Ngorongoro Conservation Area | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 14 | Addo Elephant National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 15 | Masai Mara National Reserve | 🇰🇪 Kenya |
Zoos & Centres Where Found
Closest Relatives at Meru National Park
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing a White Rhinoceros in Meru National Park?
Likely
About 60% of wildlife watchers report a White Rhinoceros sighting in Meru National Park on a given day, based on 22 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 12th most-seen of the 22 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 90%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
When is the best time to see a White Rhinoceros in Meru National Park?
November
In that month about 80% of wildlife watchers report a White Rhinoceros in Meru National Park on a given day, against about 10% in April, June and October, the lowest months. That is one of Meru National Park's wettest months, with about 200 mm of rain against almost none in July.
What time of day is best to see a White Rhinoceros?
Between 3 and 6 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most White Rhinoceros sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Is Meru National Park the best place to see a White Rhinoceros?
4th of 15
Of the 15 parks where we can rate White Rhinoceros sightings, Meru National Park ranks 4th at about 60%. The best odds are in Lake Nakuru National Park (Kenya, about 70%), Akagera National Park (Rwanda, about 60%) and Nairobi National Park (Kenya, about 60%). All parks ranked.
Which relatives of the White Rhinoceros live in Meru National Park?
Same order: Perissodactyla
The closest relatives of the White Rhinoceros that you can see in Meru National Park (order Perissodactyla, Odd-toed Ungulates) are Plains Zebra (about 60%) and Grévy's Zebra (about 30%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
Where does the White Rhinoceros sighting chance come from?
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the White Rhinoceros is recorded against all the mammals logged in Meru National Park (22 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
