Wexe
The black rhino calf turned quietly, its glance one of distrust.
Wexe means “alone” in Tsonga.
The cackle of the message was that a sighting of the highly endangered black rhino had been made. Suddenly, the radio transmission stopped, leaving a momentary silence around us. Our guide nodded, his eyes scanning ahead, his hand lifted for us to proceed. We climbed up the small hill that lay between us and the rhino, thorns and heavy bush grass everywhere, making progress slow. The heat of the sun pounded down relentlessly, creating patterns of shade and light that on the one hand oppressed us, and on the other guided us to the top of a small koppie, or hill.
They were present, but hidden deep in the dense bush. Moving down cautiously, we reached an open fringe stopping behind the guide. His eyes were locked on a clump of thorny thickets, scrutinising the vegetation. Suddenly, his fist went up, signaling he had spotted something.
With us close by, we saw them. Their deliberate snorts, followed by an occasional kick of dust, indicated they had also become aware of our presence. We remained stock still as I took up a position to aim my camera lens, zooming in as close as I could. I was lucky. For a moment - just a moment - the calf appeared alongside her mother between two clumps of low-lying thorn trees. Her head turned towards me, almost as if she could see me staring back. She kept still, listening to any sound I might make. We seemed frozen in time together - only the whir of my camera captured precious moments with this most rarified of creatures, the Black Rhino.
EXTINCTION LOOMS
Their counts are uncertain, but an alarmingly low number of black rhinos remain on earth. I was in one of the few locations left where small populations still manage to exist. Hidden deep in the African bush, they remain uncertain, distrustful, and wary of the human presence. Today, they live almost always with the eyes of rangers, protectors, or anti-poaching units ton them 24/7 to ensure their continued survival. But some still manage to get butchered for their horns - a sad indictment of mankind’s colourful view of outmoded cultural and belief systems. If we don't somehow see this reality of their extinction looming and own it now even more, they will all eventually go. So it is with sadness and some incredulity that I think and ask myself, having seen the last of them, how much longer will they be with us? Will we ever again see these glorious characters that took millions of years to evolve, now decimated in a mere few decades, roaming free one day again?
Raw Africa Collection
Welcome to Africa - the wise, the restless, and the life-giving.
This soulful land of dreamers gives rise to the underbelly of a beautiful, gentle beat that is only heard by those who listen to it. This photographic journey explores, profiles, and captures what I hope is the heart and soul of Africa's true wilderness kingdom. From its deep bush to its dry savannah and desert, Africa remains a place where life is represented by timeless vistas that are distilled into moments to treasure.
