Southern Ground-Hornbill, Kruger National Park

These large birds – about the size of a turkey – look like something straight out of a Jurassic Park film. They are found in various parts of Southern Africa. We spotted this one and the others in the photos below on a week-long safari trip through South Africa’s Kruger Park.

We avoided being attacked by elephants or buffaloes, but – much to our surprise – these three birds decided to have a go at our car. They certainly did not appreciate us stopping for a photo and made that quite clear. Their pecking didn’t cause any damage, though.

Despite their name, they are capable of flight – although we only ever saw them walking around.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies the Southern Ground- Hornbill as vulnerable to extinction. You certainly do not see them often, even in a protected setting.