Rhinos smash up family's car at safari park
An unfortunate family got a lot more than they bargained for when their car was smashed up by two rather excited rhinos during a recent safari trip. Take a look at the aftermath below:
On Monday (5 September), mum-of-two Stacey Gromley was taking her boys on a summer day out to see some animals at West Midlands Safari Park in Bewdley, Worcestershire, when two horny rhinos smashed into their car.
The male rhino was chasing the female and whacked straight into the black Nissan as a park ranger tried to divert the animals.
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Safe to say, the family probably won't be going back on a safari anytime soon, with the car sustaining damage to the headlight and bumper.
Thankfully, Stacey and her boys were okay, with the mum saying of the incident: "Two rhinos were being chased by a safari jeep and they were running onto the tracks.
"I just thought, they're coming, they're coming, it made me feel sick at the time.
“I desperately tried to put the car into reverse to get out of their way but they charging towards us so fast. It was terrifying."
Stacey said that the whole thing was 'like a scene from Jurassic Park,' and to be fair, after seeing the new film, we can only imagine how chaotic the car must've been.
While Stacey tried to frantically escape the collision, 'the wheels were skidding, but I couldn't get out of the way in time'.
And the whole thing, understandably, really affected her kids, with Stacey saying: "The first rhino hit the car and I have horn marks on my car and the second one skidded into my car.
"My seven-year-old was in the front seat so saw everything and was very shaken up by it. It's traumatic, it plays on the minds of little ones."
Still, Stacey is just glad they were okay because things 'could have been a lot worse.'
Following the incident, the safari park offered the family four free tickets, but Stacey still had some questions, saying of the incident: "The female rhino was in season so that's why the male rhino was chasing her.
"The safari park is not claiming liability which is fair enough, but the jeep was chasing the rhinos.
"Should an in-season rhino be left out in a family safari park?"
A spokesperson for the park said: "As part of the safari drive-through experience, many of our animals are able to roam freely between vehicles and this includes our herd of white rhino.
"Keepers in patrol vehicles are always in close attendance, to monitor all animal and vehicle movements for the safety of our guests.
"We do state that guests drive their own vehicles at their own risk and these T&Cs are required to be accepted at the time of booking tickets.
"We do offer guided minibus tours for those people who do not wish to enter the safari in their own vehicle.
"On September 5, one of our female rhinos collided with a vehicle within the African reserve.
"During the incident, our team of trained keepers in patrol vehicles attempted to guide the rhinos away, but unfortunately were unable to prevent the rhino from coming into contact with the car.
"The guests reported there were no injuries which is always our main priority, and following this, they continued their safari drive-through experience."
LADBible has reached out to the park for comment.
Shola Lee