I need to provide some context to this story. I wrote it two years ago, and it’s never been published anywhere. I tried several outlets, but it didn’t work. That’s on me as a writer. I have decided to publish it on Writing Wild mainly because the people I spoke with gave me their time and trust. There is an incredible film coming out that I hope you’ll all watch, Rhino Man the Movie. It was made by people who knew Anton well – I had only ever met him briefly.

The Southern African Wildlife College’s Sboniso Phakathi talks community, conservation and connections.

The rhino was down. We’d been briefed by veterinarian Dr. Shaun Beverley from Limpopo Wildlife Vets that once the dart takes effect, there is a small window of opportunity to get to the animal, get its horn off, and administer the antidote.

Often, when wild animals come into contact with people outside of national parks, they end up dead. A recent case in Mozambique’s Banhine National Park highlights just what’s at stake when predators and people meet – and why understanding these dynamics at a landscape level is critical for conservation.