Rhinoceros under Attack Ceratotherium simum

One expects to see Oxpeckers on the African plains. On the rolling hills of southern England, maybe Magpies can perform the role.

However, these "oxpeckers" are not dining on insects and other parasites picked up by their host.

The magpies are making a meal of the unfortunate rhinoceros itself. While poaching their horns remains the biggest threat, these smaller pirates can make life very uncomfortable for the thick-skinned beasts and, while eating them alive, can also cause nasty infections.

The row of photos immediately above were taken 5 years after those further above and the poor rhino is desperately running round trying to dislodge the unwelcome magpie which keeps flying back to dine on the beast. You'd think the park and the animal's carers would have resolved this problem in 5 years.

And later still, a poor rhino tries rolling on its back to dislodge the unwelcome diners but they soon fly back again.