Rhinos are perhaps a little misunderstood. Sometimes they are portrayed as mean, aggressive, rampaging animals and yes, they will defend their territory and family, but they are not vicious. They eat native plants. Since there are different types of rhinos, they consume different plants depending where they live. See here for more info.
Now, to be clear - they are wild animals and you should respect them by giving them space. They are huge and wild.
Let's talk about their horns:
Some people poach rhinos to get their horns, thinking they have magical or medical properties.
But, do you know what their horns are made of?
Keratin! The same thing as your hair and fingernails. Can you imagine being hunted for your fingernails? Crazy!?!?!?!
How can you help rhinos? There are some great organizations helping conserve habitat and caring for orphaned rhinos. Here are a few that we know of:
International Rhino Foundation https://rhinos.org/
Rhino Recovery Fund https://rhinorecoveryfund.org/
Baby Rhino Rescue https://babyrhinorescue.org/
AND, if you love the rhino concept, maybe share a book about rhinos with someone you love.
Fiction
Lulu is a Rhinoceros - Allison Flom and Jason Flom
Rhinos at Recess - Mary Pope Osborne (from The Magic Tree House series - deals with rhino conservation)
Non-Fiction
Rhino Rescue! : And More True Stories of Saving Animals - Clare Hodgson Meeker (National Geographic Kids Chapter book series)
Rhino Rescue: Changing the Future for Endangered Wildlife - Garry Hamilton
Amazing Rhino Helpers
Sushila Nepali (b. 1964) is a rhino conservationist in India
Michael Werikhe (1956-1999), nicknamed "The Rhino Man", conservationist in Kenya
David Shepherd (1931-2017), British artist and conservationist who featured rhinos in his art and raised money to help many African and Asian endangered species. https://davidshepherd.org/about/david-shepherd/
First of all, I LOVE your photograph at the top of the page--it is so cute--and with just one picture it conveys to me the essence of what you are saying about Rhinos: that they are not scary creatures, but are really peaceful and loveable. I did not realize that Rhinos are herbivores--I'm so glad to know that. And thank you for sharing so many links. I took a look at some of David Shepherd's artworks: AMAZING! They are so realistic and beautiful, they look almost like photographs. Thank you for this informative post!