The white rhinoceros, which is actually gray brown, gets its name from the Afrikaan word weit, meaning "wide."
Ranking second among land mammals in size, it grazes on the short grasses that thrive where it lives.
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A solitary beast, it only comes together with other rhinos to mate.
It has huge horns, measuring up to forty-eight inches (122 cm), which it uses to defend its territory, fight off predators such as lions, and dig up soil in search of mineral salts.
Seriously endangered, the white rhino is now protected. Unfortunately, it continues to be poached for its horns, which are used in aphrodisiacs and folk medicine.
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