Rhinos were one of the more elusive mammals on our tour (at least as elusive as a 2 ton primeval titan can be), due in no small part I am sure to years of poaching for their horns. Being nearsighted and aggressive probably hasn't helped their popularity in the long run, but from a distance they are enchanting creatures. The photo below was taken at Sweetwaters tented camp at the watering hole. The pair were perhaps 40 feet from us and really only separated from us by a small ditch.
We saw two kinds of rhinos on our tour, the White Rhino (shown below) and the Black Rhino (shown above and even more below). It may appear that they are not remarkably different in colour and this is a direct result of poor name translations. Apparently the white rhino has a wider mouth and was originally referred to as the wide rhino, but the difference was lost to time and translation.
There are several other differences between the two in so far as their range and grazing habits, with the black rhino being a savanna grazer and the white rhino sticking closer to the forests and lakes. Another interesting difference between the two that I would never have guessed without being told is that baby black rhinos follow behind their mother while white rhino babies are in the lead.
The rhino above is named 'Max' and was being gradually reintroduced to the wild and the other rhinos. To protect him from poachers he had a guard that follows him 24-7 as he learns to be a little more careful of people and become a wilder animal.
We saw two kinds of rhinos on our tour, the White Rhino (shown below) and the Black Rhino (shown above and even more below). It may appear that they are not remarkably different in colour and this is a direct result of poor name translations. Apparently the white rhino has a wider mouth and was originally referred to as the wide rhino, but the difference was lost to time and translation.
There are several other differences between the two in so far as their range and grazing habits, with the black rhino being a savanna grazer and the white rhino sticking closer to the forests and lakes. Another interesting difference between the two that I would never have guessed without being told is that baby black rhinos follow behind their mother while white rhino babies are in the lead.
The rhino above is named 'Max' and was being gradually reintroduced to the wild and the other rhinos. To protect him from poachers he had a guard that follows him 24-7 as he learns to be a little more careful of people and become a wilder animal.
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