Reference Base The mammals of the southern African subregion, new edition |
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Location: |
World |
Subject: |
Behaviour - Daily Routine |
Species: |
Black Rhino |
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During the heat of day they retire to the shade of thickets or woodland to sleep, either standing motionless or lying with their legs curled under them. They tend to rest on the tops of ridges but they will also lie in dusty hollows, sometimes in the full sun, or by water holes or mud wallows. Sometimes, they sleep lying flat on their sides, a position never adopted by the white rhinoceros (Feely, in litt.). As they are unable to roll right over, they wallow in mud or dust on one side, then rise, and wallow on the other side. While asleep the ears move restlessly, rotating in all directions, or flick quickly from back to front.
In Hluhluwe females and males were active most of the night, but only for a third to half of the day respectively (Owen-Smith, 1988).
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