17/05/2024
Don't you just love the pure wilderness, where you can encounter wild animals without a fence in between? At and around our camp, we almost had daily visits from a variety of wildlife. From Hyenas to Elephants, and even Lions and Cheetahs. One of the coolest aspects of being an Apprentice Field and Trails Guide is that you learn to assess situations much better, gaining a deep understanding of the wilderness and the behavior of the wild animals living in these bushlands.
The White Rhino in the picture was calmly drinking at a pond right outside our campsite, fully aware of us standing there watching this magnificent creature. In the video, you can see four White Rhinos attempting to cross the dry riverbed on the other side of the camp to move through the campsite, which is a big no-no. Due to their poor eyesight, a whistle is a good initial response. Since they didn't react as hoped, a clap of the hands and a firm “Hey” did the job, and they moved off. (The video is edited, we all move to a safer spot, just in case they came up into camp).
As you can see, even though Rhinos are incredibly strong animals, you don’t need to apply full force to manage them. The approach always depends on the situation.
Stay incredibly wild, Kat
