Watch: Rhino calf born to orphaned parents at Mpumalanga sanctuary
A male calf was born at 07:50 on Thursday at the Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary. He is the third calf to be born to two orphaned rhinos.
After being orphaned at just 10 months old due to a poaching incident that killed her mother, a nine-year-old white rhino cow became a mother herself, giving birth to a calf in the safety of the Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary on Thursday morning.
The sanctuary announced the news on its Facebook page on Thursday and the moment was even captured on video.
The new rhino mother, named Olive by her caretakers, was brought to Care for Wild in 2013 after she was orphaned.
“She has always been a feisty girl, full of mischief and independence. Olive was one of the first rhinos to complete her rehabilitation programme and enter the rewilding and release programme,” said the organisation in its Facebook post.
The post said that the new calf is the third rhino to be born to two orphans of poaching.
“For the first time, the birth was captured on video by Olive’s guard. Despite keeping his distance, Olive remained close to her long-term protector throughout the early stages of labour and kept him close during delivery,” said the post.
“This is an unbelievably special moment to see this precious new life take his first breaths. By the grace of God, we welcome this miracle to the world.”
Video credit: Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary
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