Kenya: Solio Reserve – White & Black Rhinos

Solio Reserve is a private 17-acre reserve that has one of the highest concentration of rhinos in entire Africa (in fact many that are born here are supplied to other parks around Kenya). There are 195 white and 51 black rhinos grazing with the spectacular backdrop of Mt Kenya. You can see large groups of southern white rhinos from mothers with massive horns to tiny months-old babies (“tiny” is relative here). I finally figured the difference between the black and white rhinos: white are grazers (eat grass only), while the black are browsers (eat bushes). This results in physical differences: white have wide mouth for grazing and keep the head down, while black have a narrow hooked lip for bush-eating and keep the head up. White are docile while black are aggressive (one tried to charge the Landcruiser). White are usually bigger. There is no color difference for the most part; white rhinos have a hump in the middle of the back, while the black don’t. I probably easily saw several dozen rhinos in just one day! The reserve is well protected by fences and armed rangers against poachers, though sadly it still a threat. © All photos by Rus Margolin.
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