Despite weighing up to 2300 kilograms, rhinos can sprint at speeds of 50 kilometres per hour — faster than most humans can run even without carrying a tonne of body weight.
A charging rhino is one of nature’s most formidable sights. These seemingly lumbering giants can accelerate to full speed in just a few strides, maintaining velocities that would earn them speeding tickets in many residential areas. Black rhinos are particularly agile, capable of changing direction quickly despite their bulk.
Their powerful legs — each supporting up to 600 kilograms — work like pistons, propelling them forward with surprising grace. This speed evolved as a defence mechanism; when your eyesight is poor (rhinos can’t clearly see beyond 30 metres), the ability to charge quickly at perceived threats becomes essential for survival. Remarkably, rhinos can maintain these high speeds for several hundred metres, though they prefer to conserve energy by spending most of their time grazing at a leisurely pace.
