The Big Five: A Black Rhinoceros Story

The Black Rhinoceros is much more dangerous than the White Rhinoceros, and is still feared by all hunters and Game Rangers…

There was a Hunter with a Spanish client in the Luangwa, Zambia. They had the tracker or scout ahead them on Tracks for Lion, they found themselves on the edge of a clearing with a Black Rhinoceros and her baby about 50 meters ahead.

A Story From Donald McLennan – Southern African Safari & Tour Guide – Ndlovu Travel

They decided to skirt the edge and keep a healthy distance, but they were to be as stealthy as possible. they turned left with the scout still ahead, and began to move at right angles to the Rhino’s position, keeping her and her baby in sight at all times, at the same time they needed to stay close to possible escape worthy trees to climb.

It was when they were a bit far from good trees, but close to an acacia with huge thorns when the Client banged his rifle against a metal object on his person. At the sound of this the female Rhino turned aggressively toward the sounds origin, huffing heavily, saw the movement of the trio (despite her poor eyesight) then, without hesitation, she charged at the trio.

Also despite her bulk she was surprisingly fast. The Trio then scrambled for the thorny tree and upon reaching it, the Prof. Hunter assisted his client into the tree, wishing, then and there, that he had a “skok stok!”. Making sure that the client was high enough, he too scrambled up, all the while wondering where his Scout was.

The Rhino kept them up there for an eternity, until eventually she wandered away with her offspring entow. The Hunter then dropped to the ground and turned to assist his client down, when he noticed a huge, dusty, boot print on the client’s bald patch. He also noticed that his shoulder felt stiff, and when he looked at his right shoulder, there was another boot print. Glancing past the client, and very high up in the tree, he saw his scout, still with an expression of terror on his face. The scout had used the convenience of the Hunter and his client as stepping rungs for his climb into the highest part of the tree.