White Rhino De-Horning

 

If there is one thing that I've learned in life is to expect the unexpected and embrace the last minute changes that can occur. While in South Africa for a travel and photography internship in 2017, this was a very common occurrence. No two days were the same and you never knew what was going to happen next. One of moments was the day that I got to witness a white rhino lose its horn - in a safe and routinely practiced way. Due to the safety of the rhinos and the security of the area, I am unable to list specifics of where this occurred, but many game reserves have developed the practice of routinely trimming rhinos' horns in order to deter poachers from attacking. It is insane the lengths that poachers will go through just for a material that is no different than a human fingernail. The horns do grow back so this is a process that a rhino at this reserve will go through multiple times throughout its life. Watching this procedure and being able to document it was a truly remarkable and incredibly informative experience.

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