Black Rhinoceros at Diergaarde Blijdorp, Rotterdam (Holland)

The Black Rhinoceros or Hook-lipped Rhinoceros is a species of rhinoceros, native to eastern and southern Africa including Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Eswatini, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Although the rhinoceros is referred to as black, its colours vary from brown to grey. Black rhinos returned to Rotterdam Zoo in 2013 after a break of more than 50 years. In the wild black rhinos are critically endangered as the result of poaching for their valuable horns. There are used in traditional medicine or kept as a status symbol. As a result their numbers have drastically declined. Rotterdam Zoo also helps to protect these rhinos in the wild by supporting the Rhino Dog Squad run by Save the Rhino. This project uses specially trained dogs to find and capture poachers.

Diergaarde Blijdorp, officially Rotterdam Zoo, is a zoo located in the northwestern part of Rotterdam. It is one of the oldest zoos in the Netherlands, and has been operated by the Stichting Koninklijke Rotterdamse Diergaarde ("Royal Rotterdam Zoo Foundation"). Divided into several zoogeographic regions, the 26-hectare (64.25-acre) Blijdorp Zoo is home to more than 180 species. It also has a shop, multiple cafes, and an information centre. The zoo is a member of the Dutch Zoo Federation (NVD) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA). In 2007, it celebrated its 150th anniversary.