Young rescued hartebeest makes strides at veterinary hospital
KYALAMI – After reaching out to the community online, an orphaned Hartebeest is growing strong thanks to a special milk formula.
Members of the community continue to pour in donations for a rescued hartebeest being looked after at the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital.
Little Neet was found in a reserve alone, without her mom or herd insight, and taken to the veterinary hospital in September.
Neet was approximately two weeks old when she was found, the hospital reached out to the community on social media on October 13 as she was in need of a special milk formula similar to that of her mother.
The hospital’s Dr Karin Lourens said the community response was amazing – they received just over R4 000 after reaching out online.
“Neet is still on milk and every day we give her some natural grasses to nibble on. One of these days she will realise that eating grass is wonderful and when this happens, we can start weaning her off her milk formula,” she said.
“She drinks around three to four litres of her milk formula a day and it costs around R30 per litre so that equates to R100 to R120 per day.”
Neet will need to stay at the hospital for another five to six months, and will eventually, once she is fully weaned and completely independent, be moved to boma in close proximity to a herd of red hartebeest. “This way she will be introduced to the herd and once eventually released to join them. Thankfully she is female and this makes the process much easier.”
She said donations are still encouraged by the community, both for Neet and for the hospital.
Details: Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital info@jwvh.org.za
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