The early morning sights of zebras and giraffes had become too ubiquitous to even justify another safari break. And that’s how we knew we’d become perhaps a bit too accustomed to expedition in Kenya. A small part of me wished to take in every spectacular view of the megafauna, but we had somewhere to be—or perhaps more aptly, bigger game to see. The endangered white and black rhinos were calling. Our wake up call came at 5:30am, followed by tea at 5:45, and by 6:00, we were meant to be firmly seated in the bush truck. Arriving at 6:01 earned us a stern look from Mohammed, the most seasoned guide with the Elewana Collection based in Meru National Park, located in the heart of Kenya. Time was critical—early mornings are the best for rhino sightings, and finding them was said to be far from easy.
Meru National Park, located in eastern Kenya near the equator, is what we’d classify as a hidden gem of African wilderness. Spanning approximately 870 square kilometers, the park is defined by its diverse landscapes, ranging from dense riverine forests and wide-open savannahs to volcanic rock formations and swampy wetlands. Known as the home of Elsa the lioness, made famous by the book and subsequent film, Born Free, Meru holds a special place in conservation history. The park is traversed by 13 rivers and numerous streams, creating a lush haven for a variety of wildlife, even though these systems are seeing the pangs of the climate crisis head on. It’s also impossible to talk about Meru without mentioning the birds …. So many birds! With over 400 species recorded, the park is something of a natural orchestra. But despite its overwhelming natural beauty, Meru remains less visited than Kenya’s more famous parks, giving us the entire place to ourselves during shoulder season in October, just prior to the impending wet season that was much needed given the droughts happening throughout the country.
The hour-long drive to the rhino sanctuary zone felt familiar at first as we passed the usual suspects: grazing antelope, herds of buffalo, and leaping gazelles. But soon, the landscape shifted. The wide open spaces became more confined with enclosing fences lining a part of the park which marked the entrance to the rhino sanctuary as well as its dark past. Here, in the 1980s and ’90s, rhinos were hunted nearly to extinction. In one horrifying night, poachers killed ten rhinos, leaving only one male alive.
This was during a time when poaching was rampant and nearly impossible to monitor. Corruption in law enforcement and wildlife management systems allowed poaching activities to run rampant, while demand for rhino horn skyrocketed in international markets, particularly in Asia. Africa, grappling with economic instability and political conflict in several regions, became a battleground—not just for resources, but for its wildlife. Wars and civil unrest exacerbated the crisis, as weapons flowed freely, and impoverished communities turned to poaching as a means of survival. Rhino horn, believed to have medicinal or aphrodisiac properties, became more valuable than gold, driving a bloody and relentless hunt that nearly wiped out entire populations.
As we drove further into the sanctuary, the scale of the effort to protect these animals came into our line of sight. Every aspect of this space was engineered for their survival: rangers patrolled constantly, armed and vigilant, while electric fences ensured the rhinos were protected within the safety zone. The sanctuary itself was equally open plains and dense thickets, designed to mimic their natural habitat as closely as possible. However, we stumbled upon a lot more life before spotting any rhinos. Giraffes grazed along the fence line, gazelles moved effortlessly through gaps, and elephants, undeterred by the barriers, roamed freely between the sanctuary and the wild. It was a place of delicate coexistence, where human intervention was done right, providing protection without disrupting the balance of the ecosystem. Without such measures, rhinos in Kenya would likely be a memory.
Today, the sanctuary houses about 100 rhinos, 30 of them black and the rest white-mouthed. While they may seem similar at first glance, black and white rhinos have distinct differences beyond their coloration, which can be a misleading categorization as both species are technically gray. The terms “black” and “white” actually originate from a mistranslation; the white rhino’s name is derived from the Dutch word “wijde,” meaning “wide,” referring to its broad, square-shaped mouth. This feature is perfectly adapted for grazing on grass, which makes up the majority of the white rhino’s diet.
In contrast, black rhinos have a pointed, prehensile upper lip, designed for grasping leaves and twigs, making them browsers rather than grazers. Behaviorally, black rhinos are more solitary and temperamental, while white rhinos are more social, often found in larger groups known as crashes. Physically, white rhinos are larger, with a pronounced hump on their necks to support their massive heads, while black rhinos are slightly smaller and more agile, adapted to navigating dense thickets.
An hour into the drive, we still hadn’t seen the action we were hoping for, spotting only a distant rhino and her calf through binoculars. It was a beautiful but fleeting sight, and we wondered if our luck was running out. Just as we were about to give up, dust billowed across the road. For a moment, we thought it might be an elephant stirring up the earth. But as the dust settled, we realized we were surrounded by eight white-mouthed rhinos.
They were teaching their young, clashing horns to demonstrate dominance. Their horns, made of keratin—the same material as fingernails and hair—struck one another forcefully, creating a powerful sound that echoed across the savannah. Curious calves approached the truck before darting back to play-fight with their peers. For 45 minutes, we watched, mesmerized by the crash instructing their young on the ways of rhinoceros life. It was hard not to be emotionally moved by the scene set before us.
By 7:10 a.m., we were still in awe, knees to the floor of the truck trying to remain out of sight so as not to disturb the crash. This moment didn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of relentless dedication from Kenyan communities, fighting for coexistence and preservation. They had refused to let one of their flagship species see their plight due to human greed, corruption and conflicting values. Mohammed wouldn’t stop whispering how rare encounters like this are, even for him, who has spent a lifetime out in the bush. The rhinos knew his specific truck, trusted his presence, and allowed us to stay and watch—as he’s been a custodian of Meru National Park, also known as “the complete wilderness” for years. And we now were getting a first-hand look as to where that name came from.
As the rangers radioed in to report the sighting, their voices in Swahili carried the weight of pride and joy. Encounters like this are transformative, even for those who call this place home. They remind us of what’s possible when humans fight for the natural world, not just to claim its bounties. Kenya’s commitment to its wildlife is far ahead of many others, proving that with vigilance, respect, and hard work, we can protect the things we cherish most. For us, this wasn’t just another quintessential safari moment. It was a sign we were in the right place at the right time, not just to witness, but to share a message of hope for the future of wildlife.
To be continued …
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