Raising orphaned rhino calves: the other side of the poaching plague
Wildlife organisations have united to rescue, heal and rehabilitate the calves left behind in the slaughter, writes Lesley Stones
Whenever a rhino is slaughtered by poachers for its horn, there’s a high chance that her orphaned calf will die soon afterwards. Some calves die of injuries inflicted by the poachers, others succumb to starvation and many are killed by lions or hyena. While efforts to thwart poaching usually focus on trying to prevent the killings, wildlife organisations have now united to rescue, heal and rehabilitate the calves that are left behind. The newly formed Now or Never African Wildlife Trust aims to rescue every orphan and take them to a rehabilitation centre for care until they are strong enough to return to the wild. It can take up to three years before a calf is old enough to survive alone, which is why so many baby rhinos remain at the side of their murdered mothers. Founder members are the Rhino Orphanage, Care for Wild Africa, Saving the Survivors, Youth 4 African Wildlife and Google, which will help with free advertising and exploring technology solutions. Pooling their efforts sh...
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