Rhinoceroses form the family Rhinocerotidae. Two species are native to Africa, three to Asia.

which is actually dark brown rather than black, grows to 5 feet (1.5 m) at the shoulder and to a weight of 5,000 pounds (2,300 kg). Its two horns, one behind the other, may grow more than four feet (1.2 m) long. Members of this species are found in eastern and southern Africa. It is threatened with extinction, but there are about 4,000 black rhinos in the wild in Africa.

yellowish or grayish, is found in South Africa, southern Sudan, Uganda, and eastern Zaire. It is named for its broad muzzle. ("White" in this instance comes from the Afrikaans word wijd, meaning "wide.") The largest of all rhinoceroses, the animal grows to 6 feet (2 m) at the shoulder and to a weight of 8,000 pounds (3,600 kg). Its front horn often grows three feet (90 cm) long, and has been known to grow as long as five feet (1.5 m).

The square-lipped rhinoceros is Ceratotherium simum.

gray or black, inhabits northern India and Nepal. Its single horn is seldom longer than 12 inches (30 cm) in the male and is shorter in the female; but it is often 6 inches (15 cm) wide at the base. The animal grows to 5 feet (1.7 m) at the shoulder and to a weight of more than 4,000 pounds (1,800 kg).

The great Indian rhinoceros is Rhinoceros unicornis.

gray to black, grows to 4 feet (1.4 m) at the shoulder and to a weight of more than 2,000 pounds (900 kg). The single horn grows to 10 inches (25 cm) in the male and is shorter, or absent, in the female. The animal is found mainly on Java.

The Javan rhinoceros is R. sondaicus.

found in southeastern Asia, is gray to black, with bristly body hairs and short blunt horns. It grows to 4 feet (1.4 m) at the shoulder but weighs less than 2,000 pounds (900 kg).

The Sumatran rhinoceros is Dicerorhinus sumatrensis.