Rhinos have been roaming the Earth for over 50 million years, making them one of the oldest living mammal species. Their ancestors once resembled large tapirs and evolved into the massive creatures we see today.
The rhinoceros family tree stretches back to the Eocene epoch, when their earliest ancestors were small, hornless creatures no bigger than dogs. Over millions of years, they diversified into over 100 different species, including the massive Paraceratherium—the largest land mammal ever to exist, standing 5 metres tall at the shoulder.
Today’s six rhino species are the last survivors of this once-diverse lineage. They’ve weathered ice ages, climate shifts, and the rise of humans, but now face their greatest challenge yet. In just 150 years, human activities have pushed rhino populations from hundreds of thousands to fewer than 28,000 worldwide, making these ancient survivors more vulnerable than at any point in their 50-million-year history.
