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20111012

Fierce rhino fight ends up on rubbish tip

Rhino-bulls fight it out near Witrivier, Limpopo – loser ends up belly-up on rubbish-tip

Source: “The Lowvelder “journalist Nicolene Smalman:

With one rhinoceros a day being slaughtered by poachers in South Africa, the rhinos themselves also aren't helping in their fight to survive - a recent fight of two bulls only ended when one ended up belly-up in a rubbish tip in Witrvier, in the Lowveld.

WITRIVIER – There was great consternation Sunday  8am at the farm Vera Lynn, above Primkop Dam . It is located right next to the Likweti wildlife reserve, in the Lowveld region. Two dehorned rhenoster bulls put up such a fierce fight that the loser ended up falling into a rubbish tip. A veterinarian had to be called in to anaesthesise the magnificent animal before it was lifted unceremoniously out of the rubbish with a mechanical hoist. He spent about 90 minutes on his back in the rubbish tip and the veterinarian said the animal was badly traumatised.

They bulldozed right over the electrified fence:

Land-owner Koos Steenkamp said they often spot rhinos just outside their electrified wire fencing - and on Sunday he noted ‘two rhino bulls looking each other over rather closely. Suddenly they stormed each another and engaged in a fierce fight. Steenkamp’s electrified fence did not deter the animals at all: they simply bulldozed right through it and continued the fight on his smallholding.  It was mayhem, with their five dogs raising hell but nobody paying them any attention. The Steenkamp family had a ringside side to the amazing fight as the rhinos continued their fight by breaking through a thick lock-and-chain and continuing the fight in the rear of their property. They just kept pushing and shoving each other until the smaller one ended up on his back inside their rubbish tip – while the bigger bull still tried to get at his opponent. Steenkamp then got onto his tractor and chased the fierce, angry bull away while the poor victim was trying his very best to get up from his precarious position. Steenkamp called the Likweti wildlife reserve staffers and Dr Cobus Raath, the veterinarian. Dr Raath said the animal spent about 90 minutes upside down in the rubbish tip and was quite traumatised. “He may look healthy at first glance but he could development problems later such as with his kidneys,’ he said. And while both rhinos were dehorned to stop poachers from killing them, they both still managed to inflict considerable injury to each other during the fight. http://www.looklocal.co.za/looklocal/content/en/lowveld/lowveld-news-general?oid=4775334&sn=Detail&pid=490203&Renostergeveg-naby-Witrivier

 RHINO FIGHT ENDS ON RUBBISH TIP WITRIVIER OCT122011

RESCUING THE RHINO WAS FAR FROM DIGNIFIED:

 RHINO FIGHT ENDS UP WITH ONE BEING HOISTED FROM RUBBISH TIP WITRIVIER THE LOWVELDER

http://www.looklocal.co.za/looklocal/content/en/lowveld/lowveld-news-general?oid=4775334&sn=Detail&pid=490203&Renostergeveg-naby-Witrivier