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A Couple Of hours With a Rhino Family
I was extremely blessed because I had the opportunity to spend a couple of hours with a Rhino family. Also four White Rhino, two younger ones and two adult Rhino who were practicing their sparring skills. The family was a new family that had given birth to a new baby within the recent months. The relationship of the parents to the baby was a study in itself. Rhino are very caring, protective and artful parents. The baby played and sparred with the large male Rhino and also was sheltered and protected by its mother. Together, the Rhino parents kept a watchful eye over the young baby, and I’m grateful they let me (from a distance) spend time with them.
Three Hours in the Rain with Sparring Rhino’s
Probably one of the most fascinating and exhilarating times I had in Kenya was my three hours in the rain with the sparring Rhino. It is very seldom that we get an opportunity to watch a community of Rhino at play. It began raining in the Lake Nakuru area in the late afternoon. My guide and I spotted four rhino down at the far end of the lake playing and sparring. We drove around the lake and I spent a couple of hours watching the play, sparring, and jostling of the Rhino group. Their play is expressive, exploding in burst, jousts, pushing, shoving and action.
Rhino at Play.
The Rhino came so close to the truck, that one brushed it and my driver had to back up. Their aggressive grunting and heavy breathing sound was fascinating. I was truly blessed by my experience with the "Rhino at play". In particular, the small, young Rhino provoked and spurred the others into their charges, dashes, and rushes. They’re quite fast for their size and when they gallop, they bob, shake and throw their horned heads around in an aggressive, threatening, yet playful way that’s intriguing –almost like a performance and a ritual of play, charge, and attack. I hope you enjoy these photos-all were taken within a two to three hour span at the end of Lake Nakuru on a rainy day in September.
The Ghostbear-
Website Copyright Alannah K Ashlie 2005