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the Topi I saw in Kenya and Tanzania was, for me, the same like the Tsessebe I saw in Kruger (Damaliscus...)

Does this Gemsbok have a growth on it's side? Others at waterhole do not have this "lump"?

seems to be abnormal

Hopefully not too malignant

I have seen several animals with growths. Like humans animals do suffer different kinds of illnesses, including cancers.

Illnesses such as Bovine TB to show by external growths. TB do not occur in KTP , so this is not such a case.

I've seen many animals with some sort of abnormal projection or growth on their bodies; some might be cancerous, while others may be fatty-tissue deposits that clump together; still others might be a protruding bone or rib from an injury.

Hi, just returned from kruger-saw a white rhino bull at renosterpan just south of afsaal on 30th september with nasty looking skin lesions on abdomen, legs and face-was grazing happily-reported it to staff but would love to know if anyone has any ideas on what was wrong with it and if any action had to be taken? was told that a ranger was being sent out to look at it? Anyone any ideas???

Sure it wasn't a black rhino?

I ask this, because such lesions are well known in black rhino. It is caused by a parasitic worm that lives on the skin of black rhino, and which is transported by biting flies. It does not occur on white rhino.

The lesions are not serious and wil appear only certain times of the year, when the flies and the worms are active.

That's very interesting Imberbe!! They say you learn something new everyday - certainly true on this forum!!!

The problem in this case is that the rhino was apparently grazing out in the open in the middle of the day - this is really rare behaviour for Black Rhino. Are you sure it wasn't a White Rhino that had been burnt?? I recall that in someones TR they mentioned a badly burnt White Rhino hanging around Renosterpan that rangers were monitoring although it seemed to be recovering as it was eating and drinking! - Will try and find who spoke about this?

Hi guys, appreciate the answers-100% certain a white rhino-interesting the story about a burnt rhino-had not thought of that-would fit with distribution of lesions on body.........

Then you probably have your answer!

We saw the burnt or lesioned rhino on four different occasions in the same vicinity. Our last sighting of him was on 3 October. BB30 got quite a few good photos of him on 2 and 3 October. Will get her to post them! We spoke to a field ranger who actually confirmed that he had been burnt and that the vets had been brought in. The place where we saw him lying down first had been marked on the roadside.
Burns or lesions, they were awful to behold!

poor thing-am glad he is being monitored and given treatment-sad that any animal got caught by the fires but saw the ferocity of them 1st hand so can't say I am surprised......I know how beneficial they are for the environment but it looks so bleak with the poor duikers standing in the ashes looking bewildered!! how do they manage to escape????

Rhino can move remarkably fast. It is seldom that big mammals get caught in these fires, and they are usually quite at ease even in close vicinity to fires. It is only when they get surrounded, and usually due to the influence of wind, that they may get trapped and burnt.

So interesting I remember hearing/reading that Rhinos aften run onto camp fires? May be a myth. . .