In Swahili — the prominent language of E. Africa — the word for armored tank and rhinoceros is the same word. Like their bodies, there presence is weighty: confident, dense, fearless and unyielding. Most of the time, they mind their own business, but when a rhino lowers its head with intent, few forces of nature could slow it down — save another rhino. That is why, it was pure joy to stumble across these two adolescent bulls sparing, an interaction that lasted nearly an hour. At this age, they are almost fully grown, full of energy, and eager to testing their limits – the perfect opportunity to capture the gravity of a rhino’s presence, their gravitas on full display.

Notes from the Field: From Ranger Abraham Njenga

“The dual are Rafiki & Nissum – A Bond on the Eastern Plains.

Among the southern white rhinos roaming our conservancy, few sightings are as heartwarming as that of Rafiki and Nissum — two bulls whose companionship has become a familiar and welcome presence on the eastern side of the conservancy.

Rafiki (Notch No. 215) was born on 15th March 2019 to mother Curra. Now six years old, Rafiki has grown into a confident young male, carrying the calm and steady temperament that his name — meaning “friend” in Swahili — so perfectly captures.

Nissum, the older of the two, was born on 7th April 2017 to mother Mkimbizi, making him just over eight years old. Unnotched, Nissum is identifiable through his natural markings and his near-constant companionship with Rafiki, a bond that has made the pair easy to track and monitor over time.

The two are regularly sighted together grazing and wallowing across the eastern grasslands, a dynamic that speaks to the social nature of white rhinos despite their largely solitary reputation. Their association not only makes for memorable game viewing but also provides our wildlife monitoring team with a valuable opportunity to observe natural rhino behavior and social interaction in the wild.”