Rhino Carcass

As we were driving around the park one afternoon, word got out that a female rhino has been injured. She was badly wounded in a fight with a male rhino who wanted to mate with her. The female was fairly young and did not want to mate with the male so he attacked her. A capture team was called in to dart the female and move her into a boma where she could be closely monitored. After treating her wounds and keeping a close watch on the female, she was released into the park again a couple of days later, seeming to be recovering well. On Sunday afternoon, Nyiko one of our team of rangers, reported a dead rhino on Mankwe way. The dead rhino turned out to be the same rhino that was injured by the rhino bull. The female suffered severe internal injuries from several stab wounds from the male rhino’s horn.

The death of one however creates food for another. The first predators to arrive were the 2 sub-adult male lions of the central pride. These two youngsters stayed at the carcass alone for the first night and ignored the calls from the rest of the pride. Two days later, the two youngsters were joined at the carcass by the rest of the pride. The central pride of lions in Pilanesberg consists of two adult males, two adult females and the two youngsters. Lion social structure calls for the adult males to have the first share of the kill or carcass. After the adult males have finished feeding, the females get a turn and then only the younger lions. It was thus interesting to see the interaction between the 2 adult males and the 2 sub-adults. The females did not stay at the carcass for very long and only made their appearance once or twice. The males however stayed for another 3 days of which the last ones to leave were the two youngsters who only left on the saturday.

After having a meal of about 2 tonnes, the lions disappeared for about two days to go and digest the meat somewhere under a tree and went back to just being normal lions, for whom a nap can never be too short!!!

Story and photo’s by Alisha
Ranger
Ivory Tree Game lodge