Black rhinoceros
Diceros bicornis
Natural diet Black rhinoceros
Black rhinos are herbivorous browsers that consume mainly leaves, twigs and branches. In general, consumption of grasses is low but occasionally it is consumed. By consuming woody plants, the black rhino benefits other grazers because it results in increased growth of grasses.
Feeding advice Black rhinoceros
Feed quantity per day
1.5%
Sample percentage calculation
If an animal weighs 1.200 kg and eats 1,5% of its body weight, it will get
1.200 x 0,02 = 18 kg feed in total per day
Feed composition
10% Concentrates
90% Browse
Proportions (fresh product)
0,1 x 18 kg = 1.800 g concentrates
0,9 x 18 kg = 16.200 g browse
Feeding advice Black rhinoceros
Feed quantity per day
1.5%
Sample percentage calculation
If an animal weighs 1.200 kg and eats 1,5% of its body weight, it will get
1.200 x 0,02 = 18 kg feed in total per day
Feed composition
10% Concentrates
90% Browse
Proportions (fresh product)
0,1 x 18 kg = 1.800 g concentrates
0,9 x 18 kg = 16.200 g browse
Diet Suggestions
Recommended
Variety of browse (willow, birch, blackberry)
Lucerne hay
Salt lick
In moderation
Hay
Not recommended
Vegetables
Fruits
Iron rich products
Common diseases
An unbalanced diet may result in one of these more commonly occurring diseases/conditions:
- Gastrointestinal torsion and impaction
- Iron storage disease
- Skin and foot lesions
- Laminitis
- Colic
Additional advice
- Divide the “Feed quantity per day” over at least two feeding moments per day.
- Black rhinos are sensitive to iron, therefore iron rich products should be avoided (read more about nutritional values of (wild) fruits and vegetables).
- Supplement the diet with ad libitum browse. If not available, supplement with lucerne hay (read more about browsers and grazers).
- The browse used in the diet can be a mixture between dried and fresh browse.
- It is not recommended to feed the rhinos from the ground since they might ingest sand which increases the risk of colic.
- Hang or hide the feed (not in sand) to reduce the risk of colic and increase foraging behaviour (read more about feed enrichment and foraging behaviour).
Diet Suggestions
Recommended
Variety of browse (willow, birch, blackberry)
Lucerne hay
Salt lick
In moderation
Hay
Not recommended
Vegetables
Fruits
Iron rich products
Common diseases
An unbalanced diet may result in one of these more commonly occurring diseases/conditions:
- Gastrointestinal torsion and impaction
- Iron storage disease
- Skin and foot lesions
- Laminitis
- Colic
