Cape Town - The tragedy that struck the Inverdoorn Private Game Reserve in December last year when five rhinos were shot, killing four and injuring one, produced a silver lining when the injured rhino cow gave birth to a healthy calf.
Searl Derman, Aquila Collection Owner, announced that the rhino had given birth and that arrests have been made in regard to the poachers.
“I am elated to announce that not only have arrests been made within days of the incident back in December, but the Inverdoorn poaching surviving rhino gave birth to a healthy baby rhino boy on April, 30,” said Derman.
The anti-poaching reserve team came across the scene on December 8 last year where the four dead rhinos were found with their horns removed. A specialist team was called in to track down the missing cow.
They enlisted the guidance of specialist veterinarian Douw Grobler to monitor and stabilise her before performing a series of facial reconstructions to repair the damage made by the rifle shot.
When one of the rangers noticed a newborn white rhino struggling in an aardvark hole, the onsite team managed to pull the rhino out, without sustaining any injuries.
Tears of joy from the management and reserve teams followed as they managed to reunite the calf with its mother, who was then identified as the surviving rhino from the poaching incident in December last year.
The rangers that captured the first images of the new calf at Inverdoorn said: “It is a momentous occasion and honour to have taken these images of new life after the tragedy on our private game reserve, and the occasion inspires us to continue our commitment to fight for the survival of rhinos and all other endangered wildlife!”
Derman said that due to the high number of rhinos poached each year, this moment represents a moment of hope in the preservation of an endangered species.