10 Fun Rhino Facts for Kids
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10 Fun Rhino Facts for Kids
Rhinos are incredible, gentle giants with some very surprising habits. In this kid-friendly guide, you’ll discover ten fascinating facts about rhinos and their helpful bird friends, plus meet Reba the Rhino and Olive the Oxpecker from our children’s book.
1. Rhino Skin Facts: Super-Thick Yet Sensitive
A rhino’s skin can be up to two inches thick. It looks like armor, but it’s sensitive enough to feel a tickle from tiny insects.
2. What Rhinos Eat: Plant-Powered Giants
Despite their size, rhinos are plant-eaters. They munch on grass, leaves and twigs all day long.
3. Five Different Kinds of Rhinos Around the World
There are five species—black, white, Indian, Javan and Sumatran—each living in different habitats with unique features.
4. How Fast Can Rhinos Run?
They may look slow, but rhinos can run up to 30 miles per hour—about as fast as a car in a neighborhood zone!
5. Rhino Horn Facts: Made of Hair, Not Bone
A rhino’s horn is made of keratin, the same substance as fingernails and hair—not bone as many people think.
6. Mud Bath Magic
Rolling in mud helps rhinos cool off, protect their skin from the sun, and keep bugs away.
7. Oxpeckers & Rhinos: A Tiny Bird with a Big Job
Little birds called oxpeckers perch on rhinos and eat insects off their skin. This keeps the rhino comfortable and gives the birds a tasty meal.
8. How Rhinos Communicate
Rhinos “talk” with squeaks, grunts and even silent scent messages left on the ground.
9. Why Rhinos Need Our Help
All rhino species are threatened by habitat loss and poaching. Learning about them is the first step toward protecting them.
10. Baby Rhinos Stay Close
A baby rhino is called a calf. Calves can weigh more than 100 pounds at birth and stay close to their mothers for up to three years while they learn how to find food, wallow in mud, and avoid danger.
Meet Reba the Rhino & Olive the Oxpecker!
In our picture book Meet Reba, kids get to know a friendly rhino and her helpful bird buddy, Olive the Oxpecker. Together they show how big and small creatures can look out for each other.