Orphaned rhino taken to rehab centre
Her mother was shot at Nwanetsi, most likely with the purpose of dehorning the animal. However, this was never done
NELSPRUIT – Another rhino calf of the Kruger National Park (KNP) is now orphaned after its mother was slaughtered and dehorned by poachers last week.
Hopefully, this story will have a happier ending as the female calf of about six months old has been brought to Care for Wild Africa Rehabilitation Centre.
She will be cared for until she can be released into the wild.
Her mother was shot at Nwanetsi. Rangers came across the mother’s carcass last Tuesday. It was a heart-wrenching sight that awaited them as the calf wouldn’t leave her mother’s side and didn’t even get up when she was darted later on.
The decision was made that the calf would not be euthanised, but rather raised by humans in order to ensure the survival of the species.
Dr Peter Buss darted her after which she was transported with a SANParks helicopter to Skukuza where Ms Petronel Nieuwoudt, founder of Care for Wild Africa, was waiting for the animal and the recovery team.
According to Mr William Mabasa, KNP spokesman, the transport in the helicopter went without any mishap and the calf remained relatively stable after immobilisation. Blood samples were taken in Skukuza and showed that, despite not being able to feed for some time, she was reasonably hydrated.
Nieuwoudt and the calf arrived at the centre at about 21:30. Although she travelled well, she needed more sedation during the night. The following morning she drank two litres of diluted milk from a bottle and was attempting to nibble grass. Nieuwoudt told Lowvelder that she had never before smelt such a stench on a rhino calf and came to the horrific realisation that it was actually the “smell of death”.
“I realised that, since the calf wouldn’t leave her mother’s side, she was covered with blood and other bodily fluids and that is what I had smelt all along.”
The number of rhino poached since the beginning of 2014 is 172, with 113 in Kruger.
See a gallery of the SANParks rescue here.
