Spotting a rhino walking on a road .... !!!!

They are herbivores, yet  rhinoceros are large and powerful.  Rhinos are solitary animals. Males mark and defend their territories. Rhinos use their horns in battles for territory or females and in order to defend themselves. Rhinos are also rather ill-tempered and have become more so in areas where they have been constantly disturbed.  Their poor eye sight is cited as a reason for their charging at animals without reasons sometimes.  When attacking, the rhino lowers its head, snorts, breaks into a gallop reaching speeds of 30 miles an hour, and gores or strikes powerful blows with its horns.  For all its weight,  the rhino is very agile and can quickly turn in a small space.

Early morning, Marina beach presents lot of things. Besides the busy humans conscious of keeping themselves fit, there are pets too. Since ages,  humans have domesticated some and habituated them to work for their benefit.  Pets generally are those which are playful, loyal and display traits that please mankind.   Humans would justify chaining them by saying that they  relieve stress and bring cheers.   The most popular pets are dogs and cats, but there are also rodent pets, such fancy rats, rabbits, and guinea pigs;  avian pets, such as pigeons, lovebirds, parrots, parakeets and a host of others. What you get to see in Marina beach and elsewhere is mostly dogs – dogs of various size, breed and behaviours – owners generally saying that they will not do anything – while rest feel that they could easily harm.

Not all of them are under leash.  Sometimes the stray dogs [there are so many in Marina] start barking or chase this pet – and the pet dog could behave differently.  They say – ‘Walk your dog, do not let your dog walk you’ – many a dogs walk in front of its master leading them. Psychologically, it is stated that when  a dog walks in front, it does not drain its mental energy. The dog is not relaxed, as it has the big responsibility of leading the pack. It is also stated that dogs as also most other animal should be taken for walks daily. 

Away in Iran, read that a group of Iranian MPs proposed making it a criminal offence to keep dogs as pets or walk them in public, with offenders subject to 74 lashes or a fine. Iran’s reformist Shargh newspaper reported  that a group of  members of parliament, who are mostly affiliated to the conservatives, had put forward the proposal for the legislative body to vote on.

Around the World, there have been many strange pets – including Lions, Tigers, bears, Kangaroo and other exotic animals. The list includes birds and sometimes insects too.  There are people who think owning a cat or dog is just too boring. Instead, they bring home exotic, wild, or large game animals. Whatever it be, this one reported in Mailonline promises to be too different. 

Panicked locals in Luckenwalde, Germany made panicked calls to Police stating ‘escapade of a rhino’ – spotted on road.  It is stated that panicked locals in the town of Luckenwalde in Germany  called authorities after spotting the rhino, nicknamed Hulk, walking along the road without any lead or restraints.

But by the time police got to the scene the animal was back at the Circus Voyage site along with its keeper.  Police stood down, but hours later they received another call claiming a rhino had escaped. This time they caught the animal's keeper and circus director walking the rhino to the local park. 

Police spokesman Marcus Braun said: 'The circus staff were given a stiff talking to by the officers, and warned that it was not allowed to take rhinos onto the streets.' The circus said they did not understand the fuss over the 34-year-old rhino being allowed to get some fresh air, and added that Hulk was completely tame and unlikely to harm anyone. The animal's keepers rejected the idea of putting the rhino on a lead when they walked him. The same rhinoceros sparked a similar alert three years ago after he escaped from the circus while it was performing in the town of Goslar in Lower Saxony.

Is it  proper to walk a wild animal on a public road and whether a man or a group of them can eve restrain such powerful animals, be it leashed or on a lead ?

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

26^th Nov. 2014.