CENWild animals are just that – wild. And though they’re fascinating creatures to observe, we shouldn’t really be surprised if they lash out when they’re disturbed.
Then again, maybe they’re not disturbed, maybe they’ve just taken a liking to something – your new shiny car, for example – and have decided to get a bit closer to it? Rhinos are, after all, horny creatures.
Jokes aside, being inside a car just as a massive rhinoceros decides to nut it, is scary to say the least, which is unfortunately what happened to this family at a safari park in Puebla, Mexico.
CENFilmed by a family travelling in another vehicle – who were undoubtedly very relieved they weren’t in the car in front – the video shows the startling moment a rhino rams its horn repeatedly into a car with a family trapped inside.
The huge animal rocks the car as the driver begins to pull away, but the rhino follows the vehicle and continues charging into it.
The driver begins tooting the horn in an attempt to stop the animal, as workers at the safari park run to try to resolve the situation.
By the end of the ordeal, the car was obviously pretty beaten, but luckily, nobody was injured as a result.
You can watch it here:
The safari park released a press statement about the incident and explained how there’s a female rhino on heat, which caught the attention of one of the male rhinos, who then attacked the car with its horn.
Told you they were just horny.
The park added:
What happened is an isolated case related with the natural and wild nature of this species.
We took the necessary measures in order to avoid something similar happening again. The rhino was separated and is staying in another part of the park while the fertile period of the female rhino ends.
The visitors who were in the car said, although they were a little shocked after the incident, their family day out was an experience they’ll never forget.
Earlier this year, the last male white rhino on Earth died at his home in Kenya.
The heartbreaking scenes were captured by a National Geographic photographer, as wildlife ranger Zachariah Mutai said goodbye to the rhino, named Sudan.
Sudan died shortly after the photograph was taken on the Ol Peteja wildlife reserve:
Photographer, Ami Vitale was present at the time and wrote on Instagram:
With a heavy heart, I share this news and hope that Sudan’s legacy will awaken us to protect this magnificent and fragile planet.
Yesterday, Zachariah Mutai comforted Sudan, the last living male Northern White Rhino moments before he passed away.
The 45-year-old was one of just three remaining northern white rhinos. He was the last male of his species. The two female northern white rhinos left on the planet are his direct descendants.
There’s still hope in the future the subspecies might be restored through IVF.
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Charlie Cocksedge is a journalist and sub-editor at UNILAD. He graduated from the University of Manchester with an MA in Creative Writing, where he learnt how to write in the third person, before getting his NCTJ. His work has also appeared in such places as The Guardian, PN Review and the bin.