To most of us a rhinoceros is not what we think of when it comes to having a little pet. Let’s face it, they would do some damage in the house if they wanted too. The rhino may not be the most beautiful creature that Mother Nature shares with us, but they are certainly a very special animal. Over the centuries they have been hunted for their horns that certain cultures think contain a magical elixir to be used in traditional medicine. This practice has been illegal now for quite some time, but unfortunately there are poachers out there that still slaughter this innocent beast.
Because of the illegal poaching these amazing animals are now being threatened with extinction. They have been place on the endangered animals list and are suffering unnecessarily at the hands at callous people just out to line their own pockets. Sadly, because there is still a market, the rhino horn so now worth more than gold.
The video below will make you stop and think about how rhinos are just like any other animal. Camera-man Garth de Bruno Austin was shooting a movie in South Africa about the illegal poaching of animals that happens all too frequently in that country. Garth is currently travelling the world producing and shooting his first adventure film. What happened to him in South Africa will simply amaze you.
Now the questions is, what would you do in a 5000-pound rhinoceros came out of the bush and headed toward you and your camera? Well I think in the majority of cases, the camera would be dropped and you would make a run for safety. That seems the sensible thing to do, but no, not for Garth. The monstrous animal approached Garth, but to our cinematographer-heroes surprise, this magnificent animal wanted nothing more than a bit of tender-loving-care.
I guess most of the people reading this would have had some experience in the art of rubbing a loved pet’s tummy. We all think of our dogs or cats having a tummy rub, much to their rapturous delight. Even little pet mice like a little rub on their tum-tum, but a massive rhinoceros, no I don’t think so. When this amicable-animal first headed toward Garth, his thoughts were that it was just being inquisitive toward the camera and tripod that he was operating, but it soon became obvious that all this miss-understood-mammal wanted was a little attention that it would not normally receive.
When you click on the video below you will be amazed at just how tame the rhino seemed as it enjoyed a little love from Garth. It is not recommended that if you should be in the same situation that you do the same thing. It’s important to note that Garth had been interacting with this particular animal for some time, so it was used to seeing him around the plains that were the backdrop for Garths movie project.