White Rhino Photography Kruger National Park
Years ago I took a trip to South Africa. Part of that trip took us through Kruger National Park. One of the many memorable things I saw were these two White Rhinos. I wasn't working in commercial photography at the time. In fact I had only recently purchased my first crop sensor dslr, a Canon Rebel something.
It was grey and drizzling much of the time I was there which meant limited golden hours but wildlife is significantly more active when its cool, damp, and shady. This pair sauntered out from the bush on one side of the road, payed us very little attention as they crossed the road, and meandered into the charred black by recent wildfire landscape on the other side.
White Rhino are more common than the extremely endangered Black Rhino. The name probably refers to the wide mouth on the White Rhino which, more than color, distinguishes it from the narrow pointed mouth of the Black Rhino. It might be that "white" is actually a mistranslation of the Dutch word "wijd" which means wide in English.
Seeing any wild rhino with their horns intact is very special. Many of the protected game parks have taken to filing down the horns to protect them from poachers who will kill them to sell the horn. People in various countries believe it will cure a variety of ailments from cancer to male impotence. It does not. Filing them down is painless and they can grow back over time so it is the lesser evil in many cases but that doesn't make it seem less tragic.
So I like these photographs for the expierence if not their technical professionalism. Fun day.
