GUEST SPEAKER – RITA SHAW – 18.7.24 – RHINOCEROS
Rita Shaw invited us into her world by sharing her experiences over many trips to Africa and her encounters with animals, particularly rhinos. Her presentation also included a series of brilliant photographs. She is a professional wildlife photographer and has written a travel memoir, A Rhino Lady in Africa.
There are five rhino species, two of the largest species live mainly in eastern and southern Africa; the largest is the white rhino (divided again into northern white and southern white) and black. The white rhinos have a square upper lip whilst the black rhinos have pointed or hooked lips which help them to pull leaves off branches/shrubs. Their vision is poor. It was mentioned that in the presence of a rhino, “Whatever you do, don’t run!”
Rita gave an overview of comparisons between the species: thick skin, 3 short toes, the white rhinos live in small groups but the black rhinos are more solitary. They mark their territory with urine and dung piles (middens), have an acute sense of hearing/smell; they wallow in mud to protect against parasites and to cool down. Their horns are made of keratin (same as human hair and fingernails) and are used for digging up roots and breaking branches; they are valued for traditional Asian medicine. Rhinos are agile, life expectancy for the white rhinos being 40-45 years with the black rhinos having a life span of 35-50 years.
There are rhinos in India, Java and Sumatra. In all cases their numbers are at risk due to poaching and reducing habitat.
Western Plains Zoo at Dubbo has 6 southern white rhinos, 8 southern black and 3 greater one-horned rhinos. The Zoo supports conservation efforts for wild rhinos.
Irene Berger