MARLOTH PARK – Donations from across the country have greatly aided the Marloth Wildlife Fund in their efforts to nurse Lionspruit Game Reserve’s two rhinos back to health.
The plight of Lionspruit’s two rhino captured the hearts of many on social media and the press, after locals reported that the animals were starving due to the drought and alleged mismanagement.
Donations included 130 bales of lucerne and protein licks from Boere in Nood (BIN) last week, which will help feed wildlife for a least a month. Read about it here.
Alison Fitzgerald of the Marloth Wildlife Fund said two specialist rhino organisations, Rhino Revolution and Tango Rhino Foundation, have also come on board to provide advice and vet services.
The group has received donations of bales of lucerne from various sources and the Marloth Wildlife Fund purchased 80 bags of rhino-specific game pellets.
In the first few days of feeding, the group was advised to mix the lucerne with oranges and jungle oats, but once the pellets arrived, the lucerne was mixed with teff and they cut back on the oranges.
“The first day was awful. The rhinos were so anxious to get to the food they ate it as it hit the ground.”
“After a week their condition improved so much that they rediscovered their inner-rhino attitude, and started snorting at the vehicles. The volunteers are now taking more precautions when dropping off the food, after a mock charge by one of the big boys. Initially we were taking the food right up to them, but have now decided to drop it further away as they are fit enough to get to it,” Fitzgerald reported.
The organisation would like to thank everyone who has contributed to help save the two endangered animals.
