Rhino Overturns Safari Jeep, 6 Tourists Injured in Jaldapara | Why Rhinos Attack

A rhino mom chased some tourists and overturned a safari jeep, injuring at least six. Why do rhinos attack?

Representative image of a rhino attack 

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Video Editor: Rajbir Singh

This rhino mom, with her calf behind her, was caught on camera chasing a group of tourists, even attacking one of their safari jeeps, in West Bengal's Jaldapara National Park, on 25 February 2023.

This comes days after a group of tourists faced a similar situation in Assam's Kaziranga National Park.

Is it common for rhinos to chase and attack tourists? What do foresters say about rhinos' temperament and these attacks on humans during safaris? Here's decoding why rhinos attack.

What Exactly Happened?

In a video that has now gone viral, a group of tourists, on two safari jeeps, along with a guide, could be seen stopping to click photos and videos of a rhino that was behind a bush. Suddenly, the rhino came onto the road, along with its calf, and started chasing the two jeeps. At this point, both the jeeps reversed to escape the rhino.

"It was evident that the rhino wanted to cross the road."

Mithun Biswas, Safari Guide (Source: Telegraph)

But the rhino came charging behind the vehicles, with its calf behind it. Someone from the vehicle in front could be heard in the video asking the other vehicle to speed up and try to escape the rhino. However, it was too late...

The rhino attacked one of the safari jeeps and overturned it. Then both the rhinos crossed the road and ran into the grassland.

"We are fortunate that it didn’t attack us the second time when the car toppled. We were all in shock."

Mithun Biswas, Safari Guide (Source: Telegraph)

When the rhinos ran away, the tourists inside the toppled vehicle came out one after the other. The tourists in the other vehicle helped. Foresters were informed. The vehicle was shifted from there. Six tourists on board the attacked jeep sustained minor injures.

Are Rhino Attacks Common?

The Jaldapara National Park in West Bengal is known for the one-horned rhinos. In Jaldapara, the park is home to almost 300 rhinos – the largest habitat of one-horned rhinos in the state – a rhino attack has not been heard of in at least the last 15 years. Senior foresters say that unlike wild elephant attacks, a rhino attack is very rare.

In January 2023, a group of tourists had a narrow escape in Assam's Kaziranga National Park, when a rhino chased down their safari jeep for some distance. The video of the rhino attack had gone viral then.

When Do Rhinos Attack?

Senior foresters and wildlife experts say wild herbivores, like rhinos, feel insecure when they are with their calves and sense any object moving towards them. Rhinos, when travelling with their calves could attack humans or vehicles to protect their babies.

This was the case in the Jaldapara attack too.

"Preliminary investigation shows that the rhino along with the calf felt insecure and attacked the vehicle."

Deepak M, Divisional Forest Officer, Jaldapara Wildlife Division

Also, white rhinos can't see very well and often feel threatened when they catch the scent of an unfamiliar human or object. Foresters say that the white rhinos are otherwise very gentle and docile.

"They are very docile animals. They are very gentle."

Bob Lessnau, Curator of Mammals, Detroit Zoo

That brings us to the bigger question – is it time that we humans respect boundaries and give wildlife animals, their space too, in their territory?

"I think it’s about time guidelines for safety and rescue in adventure sports are implemented in wildlife safaris across the country. Safaris are becoming more of adventure sports now!"

Akash Deep Badhawan, IFS Officer