08 Apr 2023
Our short rhinoceros tracking walk with Arnold, Joe, and a park ranger in MOSI OA TUNYA NATIONAL PARK was a highlight of our month in Africa. Arnold met us on the Zambia side of the Victoria Falls bridge, and Joe drove us to the park, where we picked up the ranger.
The park rangers track each of the ~16 black rhinoceros, which is relatively easy during daylight when they tend to relax and more difficult at night when they graze. We were lucky that a mother and her yearling had been located earlier in the morning. We hiked about a km with Arnold showing us a variety of plants and birds before finding the pair. They were partially hidden in the brush, so photos show mostly heads (horns), but it's a treat to be so close.
After time with the rhino pair, we drove a short distance for more bird watching and to hang with a few giraffes.
There is nothing like being on the ground with these animals - it's somehow more real than sitting in the land cruiser.