The black rhino is the rarest of the Big Five in Tanzania. Poaching for horn in the 1970s and 1980s wiped out most of the country’s rhinos. Today small, closely guarded populations survive, and numbers are slowly rising.
Black and white rhinos
| Black rhino | White rhino | |
|---|---|---|
| In Tanzania | Native, wild | Not native; very few |
| Lip | Pointed, for browsing bushes | Wide, for grazing grass |
| Temper | Shy and more aggressive | Calmer |
| Status | Critically endangered | Near threatened |
The names have nothing to do with colour. Both are grey.
Where to see them
- Ngorongoro Crater: the best place. The crater’s small population is easiest to spot on the open floor, usually at a distance. Read our Ngorongoro guide.
- Serengeti, Moru Kopjes: a protected population in the central-southern Serengeti. Sightings are rare.
- Mkomazi: a fenced rhino sanctuary used for breeding, open to visitors on arrangement. Read our Mkomazi guide.
Protection
Rangers monitor every rhino. Some are fitted with transmitters, and rhinos born in Tanzania are tracked from birth. Rhinos have also been moved from South Africa and Europe to rebuild populations. Never share the exact location of a rhino sighting online, as it can help poachers.
Your chances
On a day in the Ngorongoro Crater, many guests see a rhino, though often through binoculars. Bring good optics. Read about the Big Five and see Crater and Manyara.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Small populations of black rhinos survive, mainly in the Ngorongoro Crater, the Serengeti and Mkomazi.
The Ngorongoro Crater.
Black rhinos have a pointed lip for browsing; white rhinos have a wide lip for grazing. Both are grey.
