Tony Sernack, Rhino dehorning, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa (ANIMALS 2026)

Web:

tonysernack.com

In KwaZulu Natal in South Africa, conservancies work to save critically endangered White and Black Rhino from poachers and organised crime. The trade in rhino horn is very lucrative and loses to poaching are substantial. Dehorning remains an effective deterrent. It is however an expensive operation. Experienced helicopter pilots herd the animals to accessible space. A vet does the darting and revival. Each animal is thoroughly checked and data collected. Rhino horn is made of keratin and, like human fingernails, regrows. Here the team prepares a mother and juvenile for dehorning (which is painless).

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.