This morning I went out with 3 rhino monitors, tracking white rhino on foot. Our aim was to find and follow tracks and signs of where white rhino had been, and to try to get a visual of as many rhinos as possible - primarily to confirm they were still alive and in good condition.

Monitoring such as this is increasingly important as in South Africa rhinos are being poached at a rate of at least 1 rhino a day. In South Africa in 2010 333 rhinos were killed, and in 2011, that increased to 448. So far in 2012, 171 rhinos have been killed in South Africa - and we are only just into early April.

I didn't know what to expect when we set off at 6am, and so clutching my bottle of water and camera I clamboured into the truck. The monitors with me were armed with a pen, binoculars, a machete to cut branches if necessary, and a handheld gps to record location - no guns. We set off.....and had an amazing morning.

First we found tracks of a mother and calf, so we followed the tracks and the squashed grass, and the patches of grazing, until after about 30 minutes of tracking we found the area that they had slept in. As we stood there trying to determine which way next, suddenly one of the monitors indicated to be very quiet and tiptoe (in the African bush and with walking boots on that's not so easy), and they whispered that the rhino were quite close. Then we heard movement, the baby was exploring on it's own in long grass not far from us, we could hear it but not see it.

We realised just how close they were when one of the guys suddenly turned and moved so fast that his hat fell off, and the second guy simultaneously started to climb a tree, and the third guy grabbed my hand and together we stood there (with, I'll be honest, me hiding slightly behind him!) waiting to see whether the mother who was thundering towards us would change course and which way, so we knew which way to go. She slowed and veered to the left, and so we crept around a clump of scrub - and had a brief but amazing view of a 5 week old baby rhino.

Our second sighting was less dramatic, but just as fantastic. We picked up white and black rhino tracks near to a watering hole, and so we set off to follow the white rhino tracks. Again after some time, we found where they had slept, and it was apparent from the size of their bed that there were at least three adult rhino. We walked for ages, and lost and found the tracks and trail several times. The guys went off in different directions trying to establish the correct way, and I went with one of the monitors. As it turned out, I was with the right monitor, as he and I suddenly found another rhino resting spot, and then a few minutes later there they were up ahead of us - 3 adult bulls and one adult female. The wind direction was in our favour and we stood and watched and identified them (from notches in their ears), then we crept a little closer to be able to identify the fourth one. From a vehicle they are big, on foot they are HUGE. Luckily though their eyesight is poor, although their hearing and sense of smell is very good, so we were able to observe them for some time. This poor eyesight is also to their detriment though, as it is how the poachers can get very close to the rhino without the rhino knowing that they are there until it is too late to run.

When were ready to leave, the monitor whistled to the other monitors which is how they communicate when tracking, and that was the first that the rhinos knew of us being there. The photo attached to this blog is the moment that the rhinos heard that whistle and looked in our direction (enlarge it to see it more clearly).

The rhinos stood for a little while and then flicked their tails up into the air, turned and ran off - the ground vibrated as the 3 of them bounced along in unison. The fourth rhino oblivious to the commotion simply stayed where he was and continued eating......we slowly moved away smiling from one ear to the other having seen up close and on foot, 5 healthy adults rhinos and 1 baby rhino calf, and all before breakfast!