HE MAY not be the ideal partner for a star-spangled rodeo but Dennis, a wild white rhino, is perfect for a ride through the plains of Africa.Despite being a ferociously territorial animal, the two-tonne beast has forged a strong bond with James Ndlovu and allows the game warden to ride on his back.
Badly wounded by a dominant bull in 2000, Dennis was nursed back to health by the 32-year-old and the unlikely duo now regularly explore the Moholoholo reserve in the Limpopo province of South Africa.
Reserve manager Colin Patrick said he 'couldn't believe his ears' when Mr Ndlovu told him years ago he planned the ride the 12-year-old beast.
'I thought Dennis would end up killing him - this is a wild rhino, a very dangerous animal, very territorial, very powerful,' he added. 'But James has been riding Dennis for four or five years now and is up to the point where he can even steer where he walks by leaning left and right.'
Mr Patrick said the animal could be as destructive as his comic book namesake.
'Dennis has turned out to be quite a menace,' he added. 'He often breaks into the reserve centre and trashes the place.
'He also likes to tag cars and building with his horns. It's like rhino graffiti.'
Metro.co.uk, Thursday 27 August 2009, p3.
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