Regular readers of Country Life will have noticed an enormous rhinoceros on the pages of the July 17 issue of the magazine — but none of them, we imagine, were more delighted to see it than Monty, a white rhino who lives at the Cotswold Wildlife Park.
Monty's Head Keeper Mark showed him the latest Animal Magic, a series that explores owners with their wonderful pets.
‘Mark was amazed that Monty came over so quickly to inspect his photo!’ Said Debbie Ryan, who took the wonderful pictures that we're delighted to share with you today.
‘Rhinos have terrible eyesight but a brilliant sense of smell and he thought Monty would be too wary to come too close. Any unusual smells, he normally keeps his distance. Well, you couldn't keep him away!’
Reggie Heyworth, manager of the Cotswold Wildlife Park (pictured above with Monty), calls white rhinos a success story for the park.
‘There were fewer than 100 left in 1900, but, now, there are more than 20,000. Our first two were part of a group brought over from South Africa.’
When Reggie first met Monty, he thought ‘he looked so sweet. It’s impossible something so big could do so, but he did’.
Monty is also the proud father of five calves, two of which (Alan, named after the park's long-serving retired electrician and the ironically named Tinkerbell) still live in the park with their parents.
We're delighted that Monty, our largest and perhaps most unusual reader liked his debut in Country Life so much. We do hope that Mark, Debbie and Reggie will make sure he gets his subscription delivered straight to his enclosure next Wednesday morning, along with a very big cup of tea.
Credit: Sarah Farnsworth/Country Life
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