Ask a seasoned safari-goer for a list of scary scenarios that can play out in the African bush, and this one is probably somewhere very close to the top:
The terrifying rhino charge was caught on camera by two photographers on an afternoon drive through a game park in South Africa.
The two men, who both work at the park, had gone out at around midday hoping to track down a cheetah that had been spotted in the vicinity – but they crossed paths with a black rhino instead.
Unlike their more mellow cousins, black rhinos are known for their nervous, often aggressive, temperaments, and it's possible that in this case it was the noise of the vehicle that prompted the charge. "As we stopped, the breaks squeaked [and] this immediately aroused the rhino's curiosity," recalls Sam, who is an assistant manager at a nearby guest lodge.
Having seen the aftermath of many a rhino charge, we would have beaten a hasty retreat the moment the rhino began its approach, but luckily for this duo (and their vehicle), everyone emerged unscathed despite the delayed reaction. "I dropped my phone which I was recording on because Andrew jumped onto my lap ... The rhino stopped its charge and turned around about 20cm from the car door!" recalls Sam.
The full clip of the close call was posted recently to the Kruger Sightings YouTube channel:
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Top header image: cuatrock77, Flickr
Backyard wildlife
Backyard wildlife
Backyard wildlife
