In Touch With Nature – The role of the Oxpecker bird in nature #oxpeckers #giraffes #rhinos

Picture caption: Banner for In Touch with Nature including oil pastel artwork by Robbie Cheadle

When I go on safari into the Southern African bush, I frequently see oxpecker birds. When I spot them, they are nearly always sitting on the heads, necks, or backs of a giraffe, buffalo, or rhino. This is because oxpeckers, either the yellow-billed or the red-billed species, feed almost exclusively on ixodid ticks, dead skin, saliva, blood, sweat and tears that they collect from the skins of large African mammals. The behaviour of oxpecker birds keeps the birds well fed and reduces the parasite load on the animal. Parasites such as ticks can pass on deadly diseases as well as causing anemia in their mammal host making the animal more susceptible to illnesses.

Oxpeckers are not all good news for their animal hosts as they are sanguinivores which means that blood comprises a large part of their diet. They eat ticks for the blood they provide and a wound on an animal is an enticing blood meal. Oxpeckers peck at wounds on their hosts and can reopen them in an effort to access fresh blood.

Picture caption: a row of oxpeckers on a giraffe’s long neck Picture caption: oxpeckers sitting on a giraffe’s head

Oxpeckers also serve as an alarm system for mammals. Their Swahili name, askari wa kifaru, means the rhino’s guard. Rhinos have very poor eye sight which puts them at a severe disadvantage when it comes to poaching. Research has show that rhinos who act as hosts to oxpeckers are less likely to be shot by poachers because the oxpeckers create a commotion when they see danger approaching. They also warn herbivores about the approach of predators like lions or hyenas.

Picture caption: a mama and baby rhino with their oxpecker friends sitting on mama’s back Picture caption: When I took this picture of a dark giraffe in the Pilanesberg National Park in March this year, I didn’t even see the oxpecker on its head

If you look carefully at this video, you’ll see the oxpecker on the giraffe’s head. There is also one near the shoulders.

The following poem may disturb sensitive readers!

The following poem is extracted from my poetry book, Lion Scream.

Rhino Dilemma

Near-sighted eyes observe
Through tall, swaying grass
Yellowish curtain hides heavy-set body
But, camouflage fails him
The poachers close in
***
Small bird cries a warning
Animal reacts
Stands upright, facing the wind, ready for flight
Tranquiliser gun fires
Ground shakes when beast falls
***
Savage men move quickly
Hack out valued horn
Animal left bleeding; awakes to sure death
Tears of pain and anguish
Slide from fading eyes

About Rhino Dilemma

At the start of the 20th century, there were over 500,000 rhinos living in the wild. Today, that number has dropped to less than 30,000 and they are critically endangered. The main threats to rhino today are poaching and loss of habitat.

Rhino Dilemma is about the brutal slaying of rhinos for their horns. I wrote this poem after a visit to a national park in North West Province. The rhinos in the park are all dehorned.

The guide told us a horrific story about a male southern white rhino weeping in pain after poachers hacked off his horn and removed part of the bone in his skull in a South African game reserve.

On my return home, I researched this incident and found this article about a rhino crying tears after being brutally attacked and injured by a poacher. It makes me cry too: https://hindustannewshub.com/world-news/these-pictures-of-crying-rhinoceros-can-make-anyone-emotional-cruel-hunters-took-away-by-cutting-off-their-horns

I wrote “Rhino Dilemma” to share the plight of the rhinos to readers in my community.

Picture caption: Cover of Lion Scream, Syllabic Poetry about Southern African Wildlife by Robbie CheadleAbout Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Roberta Eaton Cheadle, is a South African writer and poet specialising in historical, paranormal, and horror novels and short stories. She is an avid reader in these genres and her writing has been influenced by famous authors including Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, Amor Towles, Stephen Crane, Enrich Maria Remarque, George Orwell, Stephen King, and Colleen McCullough.

Roberta has two published novels and a collection of short stories and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories included in several anthologies. She is also a contributor to the Ask the Authors 2022 (WordCrafter Writing Reference series).

Roberta is also the author and illustrator of sixteen children’s books, illustrator to a further three children’s books, and the author and illustrator of three poetry books published under the name of Robbie Cheadle, and has poems and short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.

Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.

Find Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Blog: https://wordpress.com/view/robertawrites235681907.wordpress.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RobertaEaton17

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robertawrites

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Roberta-Eaton-Cheadle/e/B08RSNJQZ5

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