Black Rhino with her very young calf. On the open plains of Lewa Conservancy in North Kenya we came across this calm Black Rhino with her very young calf. The calf was about two months old and rather inquisitive. They were browsing as they wandered along. The evening light was perfect and we stayed with them until the light faded.
The Black Rhino is a formidable creature. It stands 1.6m high at the shoulder, can be more than 4m in length and weigh up to 1.400kg. The record for horn length in East African animals stands at 1.36m. Pretty much all the Black Rhinos we saw had unsightly lesions on their flanks. These can range from blackish patches to open, ulcerated wounds. These are caused by filarial worms and the lesions attract lots of flies. Interestingly, White Rhinos rarely get this infection.
At birth, which can occur at anytime of the year, Black Rhino calves weigh up to 40kg and are able to walk and suckle within three hours.