Their paths between the watering and feeding places often pass through tunnels in the brush. They penetrate dense thorn thickets by sheer force. Rhinos are active mainly during the evening, through the night, and in the early morning, resting during the day in heavy cover that may be several kilometers from the waterholes. They sleep in both standing and recumbent positions and are fond of wallowing in muddy pools and sandy river beds. They run with a cumbersome motion, reaching their top speed at a canter, that is, at a gait resembling a gallop but with moderate and easy bounds or leaps.
Vision is poor, but smell and hearing apparently are acute.
Rhinos eat a variety of vegetation, but succulent plants make up the bulk of the diet. Rhinos often are accompanied by tick birds and egrets, which act as sentinels and feed on external parasites that often infest these mammals. Rhinos are usually timid but can be ferocious at bay. They sometimes charge an enemy, though their attack often is poorly directed. They may grunt or squeal when excited.