A lot of ZooChatters would LOVE to see 3 subspecies of african rhinos side by side like this. Although, having seen both northern and southern white rhinos myself at San Diego Safari Park, there is really no outward difference that I can tell.
The best ways to diagnose the two species are:
1. Back shape - Nile Rhinos have a straighter back with a less prominent shoulder hump
2. Legs - Nile Rhinos have longer, more slender legs than White Rhinos
3. Head - Nile Rhinos have a smaller head with a less pronounced wide muzzle
4. Habitat - Nile Rhinos lived in an open forest/woodlands, White Rhinos live in an open grassland
5. Feeding - Nile Rhinos eat different parts of grass than White Rhinos do. Niles eat the tips, while Whites eat the stalks and roots.
Interestingly, the ear tassels are not a fool proof method of identification. Also, in general, the Nile Rhino is smaller than the White Rhino with little sexual dimorphism shown in the Nile.
#s 4 and 5 suggest strongly that the two types are indeed separate species. If put together in a natural setting, the two would co-exist without competition.
The best ways to diagnose the two species are:
1. Back shape - Nile Rhinos have a straighter back with a less prominent shoulder hump
2. Legs - Nile Rhinos have longer, more slender legs than White Rhinos
3. Head - Nile Rhinos have a smaller head with a less pronounced wide muzzle
4. Habitat - Nile Rhinos lived in an open forest/woodlands, White Rhinos live in an open grassland
5. Feeding - Nile Rhinos eat different parts of grass than White Rhinos do. Niles eat the tips, while Whites eat the stalks and roots.
Interestingly, the ear tassels are not a fool proof method of identification. Also, in general, the Nile Rhino is smaller than the White Rhino with little sexual dimorphism shown in the Nile.
#s 4 and 5 suggest strongly that the two types are indeed separate species. If put together in a natural setting, the two would co-exist without competition.
I generally find that the most striking differences between the two taxa are the northerns have a shorter head and a longer body. That has seemed to hold true in every northern I've seen in person or in photographs.
