Sunday, June 27, 2010

The White Rhinoceros


"Oops, there's something stuck in my ear".

Remember those little Red-billed oxpecker birds I showed doing a great bug clean-up job on the kudu?  Seems like they are also employed by these guys too!

Having narrowly escaped extinction through more enlightened conservation policies, the white rhinoceros has found a safe haven at MalaMala.


White rhinos are actually grey and have a softer squared lip and shorter horn than the more ferocious black rhino.

Here you can see how, on an evening game drive at
MalaMala with our guide Gordon, this crash of seven rhinos came very close to the vehicle.  They were gently nibbling the grasses and moving slowly toward the setting sun.


Although very large and appearing a bit top heavy on those short legs, rhinos are agile and move quite fast when necessary.


Paula at the ready to capture great shots with her camera.


Jen's camera snapping away in front of me as the rhinos checked us out.  They just kept moving slowly along - note the oxpecker on the back of the one in the foreground.

........and then there was this guy, the magnificent 'Lion King' of course......



........earlier that same day we saw him wandering alone, roaring softly now and then.  Gordon told us he was calling his lady.  Later that evening after watching the rhinos we were in for a big surprise involving the lions..........get ready for the next episode! 

11 comments:

  1. I am just in awe of this trip Mary. I am really enjoying living it through your eyes.
    Hugs,
    Penny

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  2. Hi Mary!

    More beautiful photos of animals!!

    Thank you for stopping by my blog ...your lovely comments and becoming a follower. It is so nice to meet you and i really hope if you come back to the island you look me up!! Have a wonderful time in Montreal...one of my favourite cities! I used to go there every summer to visit my girlfriend. Such a wonderful city you will love it.
    Can you send some of your heat this way! It has been a very cool summer here and I am not liking that !
    Talk to you again
    Pamela xo

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  3. Thank you so much for these amazing photos... just like being there! You must have had such a marvelous time.. again thanks for sharing them with us!!

    Blessings......
    xoxo Gert

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  4. Great rhino shots and so very close. How exciting!

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  5. Mary, I am green with envy that you got to go on Safari! What a memorable experience! Do you follow any of the live webcams? I watch africam.com every day (Nkhoro Pan and Elephant Plains in Sabi Sands). It's wonderful that you sent a package to the children. We support a boy in Malawi through World Vision.

    I've enjoyed all of your photos. By the way, do you know which lion that is?

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  6. Hi Mary,
    I've just been catching up with the last few posts and am so envious of the wonderful trip you crazy Britgals enjoyed so fully.
    If I ever win the lottery I know where I'm heading!
    Hugs
    Maggie

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  7. Rhinos always make me think that this is what the dinosaurs must have looked like...only much bigger...most of them.

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  8. Mary, I can't wait till the next edition. You have me in awe of this exciting trip. ~ Sarah

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  9. Fabulous pictures! I haven't seen white rhino, Steve has promised to take me to a reserve where they are pretty easy to see next time I go. The lion is magnificent.

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  10. What beautiful creatures! I especially love the bird-in-ear photo which you captured - a wonderful reminder of the interdependence of earth's creatures...Cassandra ♥

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  11. Those rhinos are huge Mary! I think I would have been just a little bit nervous! I remember watching them on Wild Kingdom ages ago (shows you how old I am!). The lion is so strong looking. No wonder in ancient times in Rome people would tremble!!
    Take Care,
    Ulrike

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