Native Range

Southern white rhinoceros

Ceratotherium simum simum

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Authoritative assessment

The mapped biological distribution is supplied by the IUCN Red List and takes precedence over earlier Wild Guide administrative selections.

IUCN Red List

Ceratotherium simum simum

This subspecies range is taken from polygons identified within the IUCN assessment for Ceratotherium simum.

Taxon ID
4185
Assessment ID
45813880
Spatial data compiled
2020

IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) 2020. Ceratotherium simum (spatial data). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2025(2). https://www.iucnredlist.org. Accessed on 2 July 2026.

Licence: IUCN Red List Terms and Conditions of Use

View IUCN assessment

Countries covered by this range

Country coverage is derived from where the biological range polygon measurably intersects current administrative boundaries.

Angola

Presence
Extant
Origin
Reintroduced, Assisted colonisation
Seasonality
Resident

Botswana

Presence
Extant
Origin
Native, Reintroduced, Assisted colonisation
Seasonality
Resident

Burkina Faso

Presence
Presence uncertain
Origin
Assisted colonisation
Seasonality
Resident

Congo, Dem Rep of the

Presence
Extant
Origin
Assisted colonisation
Seasonality
Resident

Cote d'Ivoire

Presence
Presence uncertain
Origin
Assisted colonisation
Seasonality
Resident

Ethiopia

Presence
Extant
Origin
Assisted colonisation
Seasonality
Resident

Gambia, The

Presence
Presence uncertain
Origin
Assisted colonisation
Seasonality
Resident

Ghana

Presence
Presence uncertain
Origin
Assisted colonisation
Seasonality
Resident

Guinea

Presence
Presence uncertain
Origin
Assisted colonisation
Seasonality
Resident

Guinea-Bissau

Presence
Presence uncertain
Origin
Assisted colonisation
Seasonality
Resident

Kenya

Presence
Extant
Origin
Assisted colonisation
Seasonality
Resident

Lesotho

Presence
Extant
Origin
Native
Seasonality
Resident

Liberia

Presence
Presence uncertain
Origin
Assisted colonisation
Seasonality
Resident

Malawi

Presence
Extant
Origin
Reintroduced, Assisted colonisation
Seasonality
Resident

Mali

Presence
Presence uncertain
Origin
Assisted colonisation
Seasonality
Resident

Mauritania

Presence
Presence uncertain
Origin
Assisted colonisation
Seasonality
Resident

Mozambique

Presence
Extant
Origin
Native, Reintroduced, Assisted colonisation
Seasonality
Resident

Namibia

Presence
Extant
Origin
Native, Reintroduced, Assisted colonisation
Seasonality
Resident

Rwanda

Presence
Extant
Origin
Assisted colonisation
Seasonality
Resident

Senegal

Presence
Presence uncertain
Origin
Assisted colonisation
Seasonality
Resident

Somalia

Presence
Extant
Origin
Assisted colonisation
Seasonality
Resident

South Africa

Presence
Extant
Origin
Native, Reintroduced
Seasonality
Resident

South Sudan

Presence
Extant
Origin
Assisted colonisation
Seasonality
Resident

Swaziland

Presence
Extant
Origin
Native, Reintroduced
Seasonality
Resident

Tanzania

Presence
Extant
Origin
Reintroduced, Assisted colonisation
Seasonality
Resident

Uganda

Presence
Extant
Origin
Assisted colonisation
Seasonality
Resident

Zambia

Presence
Extant
Origin
Reintroduced, Assisted colonisation
Seasonality
Resident

Zimbabwe

Presence
Extant
Origin
Native, Reintroduced, Assisted colonisation
Seasonality
Resident

Distribution feature

Extant (resident)

Presence
Extant
Origin
Native
Seasonality
Resident

Distribution feature

Extant & Reintroduced (resident)

Presence
Extant
Origin
Reintroduced
Seasonality
Resident

Distribution feature

Extant & Assisted Colonisation (resident)

Presence
Extant
Origin
Assisted colonisation
Seasonality
Resident

Distribution feature

Presence Uncertain & Assisted Colonisation

Presence
Presence uncertain
Origin
Assisted colonisation
Seasonality
Resident