

Most commonly they’re used in a parental way, or when two rival males are fighting. Other forms of rhino communicationĪs they are mostly solitary animals, rhinos don’t have cause to use their sounds very often. Mothers will also scream to their calf when predators are around and they must get to safety. It’s likely they do this when confronted by poachers. Just like humans, rhinos scream when they are frightened. So the panting between one mother and calf won’t be the same as another. Panting at different speeds and in different rhythms, rhinos can convey different messages that are unique to their relationship. It’s a form of warning and is heard when a rhino encounters danger. Mothers use panting to call their calf, indicating that it needs to come closer to her. These grunts can continue for a long time and may be heard in the night when you’re on a safari. It can sound like they are fed up with life, almost like an annoyed teenager huffing when they get frustrated. Male rhinos grunt and growl at their rivals when they attempt to show dominance. Sometimes these squeals come out a little like a trumpet, which is also one of the most important sounds that an elephant makes. Rhinos are naturally bashful creatures and these squeals are most commonly heard between a calf and its mother. This high-pitched sound is used for many reasons when a rhino is excited. These include grunting, growling, mooing, panting, squealing, screaming and trumpeting. Rhinos are usually quiet animals but they make a variety of sounds in different circumstances. This article explains the sounds that rhino make and why they use them.

However, these special animals do have a wide range of vocalisations. When you’re out in the wild it’s rare to hear the sound a rhino makes. Rhinos may be majestic but they’re not big communicators.
