Meet my pet rhino: The 12-year-old whose best friend is
a two-ton battering ram
With one stamp of its feet,
this two-ton wild rhino could crush a human with ease.
But oblivious Elizaveta
Tishchenko, 12, has become best friends with the beast and loves
nothing more than to cuddle his leathery skin.
The pair have struck up an
extraordinary relationship since orphaned white rhino Max was found
wandering through the Laikipia District of Kenya as a
youngster.
Tender: Elizaveta Tishchenko, 12, has become best
friends with Max the white Rhino and loves to stroke and cuddle him
at the wildlife centre in Kenya
After being taken into the
centre of rehabilitation at Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Kenya around
three years ago, Max took a shine to the young girl while she was
visiting the country.
Despite being renowned for
their aggressive nature, five-year-old Max likes Elizaveta to
stroke his back gently as he tucks into some grass
And he even rolls around in
the grass on his back so she can pet his stomach like a
dog.
Her father Alexey, 40, said:
'We were told by guards in the area a new rhinoceros had been
abandoned and taken in by the centre to look after him.
'After driving for about 20
minutes through the bush we noticed a white rhino jogging towards
us.
Best buddies: Gentle giant Max rolls on to his back so
that Elizaveta can pat his stomach like a puppy. Elizaveta's father
said she doesn't stop talking about her new friend
'That wasn't too unusual as
they aren't afraid of jeeps - but it stayed with us for a long
time.
'We realised it was the young
rhino workers were talking about so asked our guides to let us out
of the jeeps and they did.
'Max paid no attention to the
rest of us - he was too busy with eating grass while my daughter
started to pat him like a puppy.
'He even let her pull his tail
and didn't react to it in the slightest. He was completely
comfortable with her and it just went on from there.
'Elizaveta couldn't have been
happier. She loved it and loved her new friend. She doesn't stop
talking about Max.'
