The Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre (HESC) recently welcomed a new orphan rhino calf, February 12.
The calf was found next to her dead mother who was suspected to have been shot dead three days prior at a neighboring property.
“Two gunshots were heard on Thursday February 9 and Rangers set out to investigate, but couldn’t find anything.
Two to three days later rhino calf tracks were discovered on the road with no mother’s tracks in the vicinity close by.
Rangers followed the tracks which led them to the mother’s carcass, where the calf was found vulnerable, stressed and dehydrated”, said HESC’s Karen Swiegers.
Dr Peter Rogers, from Provet, was called to dart the calf, but the calf ran away before it could be darted and they battled to find her again.
It was then decided to call a helicopter which assisted in darting the calf.
“The calf is between 5-6 months of age, we have been trying since her arrival to give her milk, but she wouldn’t drink.
However she has started drinking and this is a good sign showing that she is getting settled and the HESC curators are doing all they can and working around the clock to keep the little one safe and stress free”, Karen Swiegers.
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