I dream of a Swazi rhino Posted on 9 May 2012 Tags:Swaziland 210 rhinos have been killed in 2012. As I dwell upon this saddening figure I think back to a time before this phenomenon became so widespread and so devastating. I had the absolute pleasure to visit the Royal Hlane Game Reserve in Swaziland awhile back and every day I dream of those Swazi rhinos. It was at that magnificent spot that I genuinely realised the beauty of these creatures. Although the website mentions a variety of wildlife that can be viewed at the reserve the rhinos are what I remember. Vast in number and varied in size the rhino rule the reserve. I remember sitting in my car with a rhino just a few inches from the window, an oxpecker flitted around his ears irritating him. Last year two of these magnificent creatures were lost to poachers – the first in almost 20 years – and I hope each day no more are taken. I grew bored of seeing rhino after rhino and longed to see something else of interest in the reserve. It is with regret and guilt that I remember this feeling and I long to return some day to cherish those rhinos. Sitting at a lone waterhole near to reception were no fewer than 12 rhinos, including a mom with a new-born calf. There in the Swazi dry heat and thorn bushes, lay these sleepy giants; they exuded a sense of peace. It is true that one does not know what one has lost until it is truly gone and I hope this will never be the case. My ode is not to the park but to the glorious rhino that keep me awake at night. I dream of their safety, for selfish reasons so that my children can see them but also for reasons greater than me or my children to come. Related Posts BBC Earth to air another season of docu-series Dynasties II 22 September 2022 Due to much critical acclaim, the harrowing, riveting and compelling wildlife docu-series, Dynasties II returns... read more Volunteer at Cape Town’s TEARS animal shelter for Mandela Day 11 July 2022 Celebrate Mandela Day and help some animals in need by spending 67 minutes volunteering at... read more South Africa’s rarest: the Knysna seahorse 3 May 2022 Seahorses are adorable, but also play a vital part in the ecosystem. The Knysna seahorse... read more PREV ARTICLE NEXT ARTICLE
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