An orphaned rhino calf has been brought to safety after its mother died of natural causes in Marakele National Park in Limpopo, prompting a complex rescue operation involving SANParks, veterinarians and Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary.

According to Care for Wild, SANParks rangers discovered the rhino cow dead during the early hours of today (July 12). Standing beside her was her calf, estimated to be about 12 months old and still too young to survive on its own in the wild.

Team responds to the scene

SANParks rangers, park management and wildlife veterinarian Dr Andy Fraser responded immediately to assess the calf’s condition.

The initial assessment found that the calf was too large to be transported by helicopter. With Marakele National Park situated about 10 to 12 hours by road from the Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary, the rescue had to be carried out by road in what the sanctuary described as a ‘complex, time-critical operation’.

While teams at Marakele stabilised and prepared the calf for transport, Care for Wild activated its emergency rescue protocols.

A race against time

The sanctuary dispatched its rhino recovery trailer, emergency response equipment and a specialist team to meet the convoy transporting the calf halfway.

Care for Wild said rescuing orphaned rhinos is a race against time, with stress, dehydration, exhaustion and the trauma of separation all posing significant risks to a calf’s survival during the first critical hours after losing its mother.

The sanctuary thanked the SANParks team, Fraser and Devon Leibach of Devon’s Wildlife Transport Services for their swift response and collaboration in ensuring the calf reached safety.

SANParks was approached for comment, but none was received at the time of publishing.

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