On a hot summer’s day, pre-Covid-19 and pre-dehorning of rhinos, we were by Lengau Dam watching visitors who were watching what was going on. It was hot, and not that much was happening on. There were some Egyptian Geese and White-breasted Cormorants on the dam, some impala were around, and also a Black-backed Jackal trotted by.
The “draw card” was three White Rhinos which were lying at the water’s edge cooling off. Occasionally, one would roll over and splash. Sometimes they would get up and change position a bit, and get the other side wet.
I could not work out why their backs were wet, and then I saw something I had never seen before. They were flicking water over their back with their tails! Was it just a fluke? No, we watched it several times. It just shows that the rhinos are brighter than we often think…
– Lesley Cornish
