These moments I get to share with my clients and with nature are very special to me. This particular day we had clients arriving late so we just began our safari tour later.
We got out into the African bush and were truly blessed to have such an amazing sighting just a couple kilometers from the lodge.
The Wild Dogs where just playing around an were also about to go hunting when the Alpha Male and Female began to mate. As you can see in the video these Rhinos did not take kindly to these predators in the feeding grounds and chased them! Very exciting to witness.
Wild Dogs are a breed of their own they are not related to wolves and are only found in Africa. What makes them even more special is the fact that they are the most endangered carnivore in Africa with less than 5000 individuals left in Africa.
Major issues which have kept their number down are : Habitat loss and mostly getting into contact with domestic dogs outside the National parks which have Rabies or Canine distemper. This has been the major contributing factor to their decline in numbers.
Rhinos themselves are in a battle to survive with some experts suggesting that by 2020 their will be no Rhinos left in Africa. This is probably slightly incorrect but they are being killed at an alarming rate with numbers killed in 2012 being around 868 and in 2013 around 1004. This year of 2014 is no different with close on 1000 killed that we know about by mid December.
The reason for the poaching are simple. Their are two major markets, China and Arabia. The Chinese believe that the crushed Rhino horn can cure cancer as well as general cold and flu. Some Arabian countries like Oman believe that when there son reaches the age of 12 he becomes a man and the father give the gift of a Rhino horn handle on the Dagger which is the gift. This is of course reserved for those fathers that can afford to use this material.
Rhino horn is made of 3 major compounds:
Keratin – a compacted hair formation which is what forms horns on antelope and our own finger nails.
Calcium – a bone structure adding strength the the horn and;
Melanin – which is what we have in our skin to protect us from the UV rays of the sunshine, some people have more than others.
Sadly traditional beliefs in this situation are to the detriment of the Rhino and not their to protect them as in most cultural beliefs.
Why don’t you join us, Tim Brown Tours on a Durban Safari or Durban Tour to any of the 3 major destinations in KwaZulu-Natal that we offer. The Big 5 game reserves, Drakensberg mountain tours or Battlefield tours.
Within these category’s we cover: History, Culture and Nature.
We look forward to meeting you and showing off our beautiful country to you and your family or friends.
