From 'Gabs' to the Wild: Discovering the Marvels of Khama Rhino Sanctuary

A few days ago we departed the city life of Gaborone, or as the locals fondly call it, "Gabs," on a journey to the Khama Rhino Sanctuary. Over the course of four-plus hours, our expedition unfolded on Botswana's main highway, the predictably straight A1.

Established in 1989 by the community around Serowe, the Khama Rhino Sanctuary emerged from concerns about poaching and the declining rhino population. Our guide shared that at one point, Botswana had a mere six rhinos across the entire country. Today, the Sanctuary is a thriving home to more than 35 white rhinos, several black rhinos, and has played a crucial role in rescuing the species from the brink of local extinction.

While our primary expectation was to encounter rhinos, the sanctuary surprised us with an array of other species. It's the magic of the wilderness – every creature contributes to the intricate puzzle of nature.

Southern White Rhino

Khama Rhino Sanctuary is home to around 35 white rhino. It’s played a critical role bringing this species back from the brink of local extinction.

Little Explorer, big adventure

Marveling at the size of these beasts! The second largest land-mammal on Earth. Males can weigh more than 3 tonnes!

Blue Wildebeest

Referred to locally as one of the ugliest of the antelopes, the wildebeests are known for their massive annual migration.

Black-backed Jackal

We spotted two of these guys on our own morning drive through the park, one of the oldest known dog species.

Warthogs

Warthogs create underground burrows to sleep in at night and carve out hidden rooms for newborns.

Giraffe Sighting

Ben was hoping to see a giraffe on this trip and he got his wish! It’s not a given, but they do roam this space.

Giraffe

Male giraffes will fight with their necks over females. We watched two juveniles exchange several playful blows for practice.

Roaming Together

White rhinos typically travel in groups in open areas, which makes them a more common site. Black rhinos prefer the bush and are more solitary.

Stepping Out For Snapshot

Careful not to get too close. We were thankfully downwind and barely detectable to the rhinos.

Gemsbok

Gemsbok are striking and beautiful antelopes. They can go for a long time without drinking and are well adapted to hot, dry regions.

Southern White Rhino

Rhino have horrible eyesight and rely on sound and smell to sense their surroundings.

Burchell's Zebra

Burchell’s Zebra, also known as the plains zebra, have white and black stripes with a slight brown stipe in between.

Protecting a Threatened Species

Rhino poaching is unfortunately still a threat to this species. Even in this heavily guarded sanctuary, several rhinos were gunned down a few years ago. Botswana's wildlife officials say the country has lost half of its wild rhinoceroses to poaching and natural causes since 2018.

We eagerly met our guide and climbed into the vehicle, thrilled that it was just the four of us. As we embarked on the bumpy orange dirt road, a peculiar sensation lingered – it felt like we were on a Disney ride or some kind of Jurassic Park simulation. Having only experienced artificial reproductions, the authenticity of the real thing was initially hard to grasp.

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Shortly into our adventure, we encountered our first surprise – not the anticipated rhino, but a leopard! It stealthily moved through the bush – still very lush and green in this rainy season. In our excitement, nobody acted fast enough to capture a photo.

In total, we marveled at 16 rhinos, some from an up-close and personal vantage point. It was hard to escape the thought of dinosaurs looking at these beasts, which is understandable given that they’ve roamed this Earth for around 50 million years.

Our list of sightings expanded to include giraffes, Burchell’s zebras, black-backed jackal, eland, gemsbok, red hartebeest, impala, warthogs, blue wildebeest, ostriches, and even a pair of leopard tortoises.

For every species, our guide wove captivating tales about their lives, dependencies, breeding habits, and more. For instance:

• Wildebeest and zebras collaborate in a symbiotic dance where zebras feed on the tops of grasses, and wildebeest prefer the lower shoots. Zebras also act as a warning system for wildebeest by huffing their noses, compensating for the wildebeest's poor eyesight.

• The ossicones on top of female giraffes are adorned with tufts of hair, while male giraffes typically have thicker ossicones that become bald on top due to frequent necking – a behavior we witnessed two juveniles practicing.

• Impalas showcase a fascinating survival tactic with black markings on their behinds forming a distinct "M" when at rest. When chased, they flip their tails up, revealing a white underside. Predators lock onto this white tail, but impalas cleverly put their tails down again to confound their pursuers.

This first introduction to African wildlife was truly unforgettable. Khama Rhino Sanctuary will likely be a core memory for the boys. The best part is that it was not just about observing wildlife; it was a celebration of the resilience of ecosystems, and a reminder of the importance of conservation efforts.