No poachers for this rhino
A RHINO that escaped from a game farm near Mokopane was saved from the possibility of being poached on Monday morning.
MOKOPANE – A RHINO that escaped from a game farm near Mokopane was saved from the possibility of being poached on Monday morning.
The rhino broke through the fences of the farm when she was separated from her calf.
Several motorists saw the animal approximately 60km from her home. She was sighted on a road and in the bushes nearby. They notified the police and the Percy Fyfe SPCA.
Bosveld and Marcelle Maritz, manager of the SPCA, joined the rescue team near the spot where the rhino was last seen. A helicopter with a vet on board searched the area and the animal was spotted in some thick bushes.
The vet darted her and the rest of the search team rushed to the scene and blindfolded her.
After various attempts they succeeded and she was brought back onto her feet.
The rhino was led by the team through the bushes to a truck where she was locked in a cage and transported safely back to the farm.
The rescue team’s quick response prevented her from becoming part of the high Limpopo rhino poaching statistics.
Maritz, who was struggling to keep the SPCA’s doors open, said the association cared for all animals including pets, farm animals and wildlife.
Maritz campaigned to put the SPCA back on its feet as the organisation was experiencing a financial breakdown.
The SPCA is in need of the community’s help. Contact Maritz at 078 617 8682.
