WATCH: Male rhino bullies thirsty female and calf

A male rhino was recently noted behaving very aggressively towards a female and her calf‚ as the pair arrived at a waterhole seeking a drink.

Beryl St Arnaud described the sighting to Latest Sightings‚ saying it was heartbreaking to see the male bullying the pair during a drought.

“We are all pretty used to noises of ellies and other animals‚ but what struck me‚ in particular‚ were the grunts and the moans from the baby. Never before had I heard rhino noises‚” St Arnaud said.

Rhinos are territorial animals‚ and males have been known to attack calves in the past. This is because female rhinos will not mate until they no longer have a calf with them.

According to the Daily Mail last year another male rhino set upon a mother and her calf at the Madikwe Game Reserve‚ ramming the youngster and flipping it in the air.

The male continued to attack until it got bored‚ after which it left the youngster motionless on the ground. Once the male had left the young rhino stumbled back to its feet.

The conflict St Arnaud observed at the watering hole fortunately did not go so far‚ as the mother successfully fended the male off in defence of her child.

Sadly both mother and calf ended up leaving the watering hole without getting a drink.

-TMG Digital/TimesLIVE