It is rare to see a black rhino in the wild, however, when that same rhino then charges your vehicle and you manage to capture the sighting on video, this sighting then becomes rivetingly extraordinary.
Rhino approaches vehicle
Samantha and her entourage had just been out following a pack of wild dogs for the morning and were on their way home when they came across what she called, one of her favourite species – a black rhino!
Noticing their vehicle, the curious fellow didn’t back off. Rather, he started to walk closer.
As a wildlife monitor, Samantha is familiar with the individual animals in the area and she recognised this particular rhino as being one that she loved because of his larger-than-life personality.
This same rhino, she said, had also been known to ‘mock charge’ vehicles.
Samantha understood this was the best time to warn those with her to remain calm. She knew the rhino in question’s typical behaviour and she understood that when she saw him approaching the vehicle, things could start to get a little interesting.
Rhino makes a beeline for game vehicle
The rhino continued to walk towards the vehicle. He presented an imposing figure with his steady gaze and enormous horns.
“I could see his condition was not as good as normal, thus needed a better look,” said Samantha. “I was calm and collected and tried to calm the excited volunteers I had with me, as well as the animal.”
Rhino inspects the vehicle
As the rhino was coming towards the vehicle to investigate, one of the volunteers dropped their camera strap, startling the curious creature. This was a turning point in the morning’s viewing!
“People are not always good at sitting still,” said Samantha, who knew immediately what would happen next.
Rhino charges vehicle
This rhino had been known to mock charge vehicles, however, Samantha said that this time things were different. This time, he actually hit the car with his massive horn. “It was common to see him, but this was the only time I’ve known him to make contact with a vehicle,” said Samantha.
She said that for this reason, she felt the need to move the vehicle.
Samantha shared her expertise with Latest Sightings, explaining that spectators are not always aware that while they are watching the animals, the animals are aware of them. “Animals see movement, even if there is a camera between the two of you!”
While black rhinos have poor vision, making it difficult for them to see objects clearly, they compensate for this with highly developed hearing and an exceptional sense of smell, which help them detect threats and navigate their surroundings.
This one possibly heard the camera strap fall, explaining his startled response.
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One of the rhino’s most distinctive features is the presence of two horns on their snouts. The larger of the two serves as a formidable weapon of attack and defense. Seeing the horns from so close, as Samantha and her fellow travelers did, is definitely not something for the faint-hearted!
Samantha said the black rhino sadly died in a fight shortly after the sighting but that she will always remember him because he was one of her all-time favourite animals.