White (Square-lipped) Rhino

Spent a very pleasant 3 hours in the Rietvlei Nature Reserve between Johannesburg & Pretoria.

The rhino pictured here is one of eight that we saw in the reserve today. The Rhino in the reserved have been de-horned as protection against the poaching of the animals for their horn, which is rife in the country at present.

The game viewing was very good, and we recorded: Eland ( herd of 50+), Waterbuck, Blesbuck, Springbuck, Mountain Reedbuck and Black Wildebeest, and a single Tsessebe.

The birding was also very good, and we recorded 62 species in total, including: Northern Black Korhaan, Cloud, Desert , Zitting & Levaillants Cisticolas, Banded Martin, Cape Weaver & African Pipit to name but a few.

Heavy weather was developing late afternoon, and within 10 minutes of leaving the reserve, we encountered very heavy rain for the whole trip home, with our rain guage recording 20mm for the storm.