Durban — The Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary captured the birth of its 20th Rhino calf being born on Wednesday, on video.
Care For Wild is the largest rhinoceros sanctuary in the world, spanning 28 000 hectares in the greater Barberton Nature Reserve in Mpumalanga, South Africa.
Care for Wild said that like all their new mothers, Olive is an orphan who was rescued after poachers killed her mother.
The sanctuary said that after extensive rehabilitation and rewilding, Olive was released into the Intensive Protection Zone, where she remains under 24/7 guard by their anti-poaching unit. Olive has given birth to her second calf!
“This special little girl is the 20th calf born at Care for Wild since 2022 and marks another monumental and important milestone in rhino conservation. A testament to the bond of trust between these rhinos and their protectors.”
According to Care for Wild, Olive’s guard reported that her water broke at 5.15am on Tuesday. The guard was able to film the birth while Olive delivered her daughter just after 7am.
“How unbelievably special. What a precious gift!”
Meanwhile, in the same week the rhino calf was born, three suspected rhino poachers were arrested with a hunting rifle in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said Operation Vala Umgodi arrested three suspected rhino poachers during an intelligence-driven operation in Pongola, just after midnight on Wednesday, November 20.
Netshiunda said that police gathered intelligence about the suspects travelling from Hluhluwe to a game farm in the Magudu area, where they were reportedly going to poach rhinos.
“An operation was swiftly put in motion and the suspects’ vehicle was intercepted on the R66 Road within the Pongola policing precinct,” Netshiunda said.
“During the search, police found a disassembled hunting rifle with a silencer and seven rounds of ammunition. A licensed pistol was also found in the possession of the suspects.”
Netshiunda said the suspects, aged between 33 and 40, were expected to appear in the Pongola Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, November 21, on charges of possession of a prohibited firearm.
He said the possibility of additional charges cannot be ruled out
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