Ddays
Hooked
So basically poachers are dumb bastards that continually kill their crop unnecessarily? If they only harvested the horns, they;d be able to re-harvest them in 4 more years? :thinking:
Arthur the brave
- Thread starter TonyP
- Start date
So basically poachers are dumb bastards that continually kill their crop unnecessarily? If they only harvested the horns, they;d be able to re-harvest them in 4 more years? :thinking:
fiend
Caught the Bug
JKbrick
Active Member
It’s just satisfying knowing we won’t have to burn in hell for eternity with them [emoji91][emoji91]
Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
Angry Aussie
New member
TonyP
New member
Yup, unfortunately in Africa, very few plan for tomorrow it's a mentality of take everything now, no matter what the consequences are.
The biggest problem in "farming" rhino horn is that with the hourdes of humanity in the far east that believe that toe nails can cure all kinds of ailments, there are nowhere near enough rhino in the world to keep up with the demand.
All we'd do is increase the demand and the short supply would drive what little horn we could produce back into the hands of the unscrupulous black market, keeping the price up and this then makes it profitable to the poachers to continue murdering these beautiful animals.
In the short term we have to kill any poacher that wants to try their luck, save the orphans in sanctuaries to become future breeding stock, but in the long term we need to educate those people that buy the horn that it has no medicinal value. That would leave the Arabs who use it for handles on their ceremonial daggers.
You guys have done a reasonable job of taking the last group out so far.:thumb:
Last edited:
Clifford33
Caught the Bug
TonyP
New member
Clifford, it has to be the most rewarding thing I've ever been involved in.
Seeing one of these little guys arriving by helicopter, obviously doped up pretty heavily for the flight, a lot of them badly injured either by the poachers or by Lion or Hyena, all bewildered, terrified, having witnessed their life supporting mother's murder, to see the love and care that they receive and to watch their physical and emotional recovery to the point where they are intoduced to their future family or rhino crush, is beyond description.
I have had big, tough, scared of nothing friends come to visit these amazing youngsters for the first time. I have yet to see one of those guys not shed a tear and everyone of them has commented that it was a life changing experience for them.
They all say the peace and incredibly warm feeling of love is palpable throughout the sanctuary and something they have never felt as intensley before.
These are all special animals and all I can say is that I have been immensely blessed being with them
Seeing one of these little guys arriving by helicopter, obviously doped up pretty heavily for the flight, a lot of them badly injured either by the poachers or by Lion or Hyena, all bewildered, terrified, having witnessed their life supporting mother's murder, to see the love and care that they receive and to watch their physical and emotional recovery to the point where they are intoduced to their future family or rhino crush, is beyond description.
I have had big, tough, scared of nothing friends come to visit these amazing youngsters for the first time. I have yet to see one of those guys not shed a tear and everyone of them has commented that it was a life changing experience for them.
They all say the peace and incredibly warm feeling of love is palpable throughout the sanctuary and something they have never felt as intensley before.
These are all special animals and all I can say is that I have been immensely blessed being with them
TonyP
New member
OK, so after my little emotional outburst above, here is an update of happenings at the Sanctuary for February
Meet Lazuli, our latest arrival
On the evening of the 14th February 2019, Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary was notified about a calf that had been orphaned the previous night (13th February 2019) on a private game reserve adjacent to the Kruger National Park. Three rhino cows were poached at a waterhole, one of which had a young male calf at her side.
The young rhino bull was located around 4pm on the 14th February 2019 and seen to have been injured by hyenas. Due to the size of the calf, a helicopter was not going to be able to transport the calf to safety. The rescue team needed to devise another plan while the rangers kept an eye on the orphaned rhino. A trailer was made available and sent to the location. Having gotten lost in the unforgiving bush, the trailer eventually arrived at the calf around 8:30pm.
Veterinarian Dr. Joel Alves, darted the young calf and rescued him from the bush. The calf was placed on a drip and basic wound care was given and he was loaded onto the trailer and begun his journey to safety. Unfortunately, due to the harsh nature of the bush, the trailer suffered damage to the tire, rendering it unsafe to continue. Being the middle of the night, the team had very few options.
Fortunately, a pick up truck with a canopy was made available to assist in the rescue of the orphaned calf. This less-than-ideal option was the only option the team had, as the life of the orphaned calf was at stake. The rescue team moved the injured calf across into the back of the canopied vehicle. Cushions and blankets from the nearby camp were used to make the journey as comfortable as possible. The team finally made their way to Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary where they arrived at 02:54am in the morning.
Upon arrival, the calf was moved from the vehicle into the baby rhino crate at the Intensive Care Unit. The orphan’s wounds were cleaned and treatment begun. The calf’s vital signs were monitored as his blood glucose levels on arrival were very low. The orphaned rhino began learning to drink from a bottle just a few hours after his arrival, and by the next day he was drinking his milk well.
Lazuli, as he is now named, has a very special meaning. Lazuli means royalty and honor, gods and power, spirit and vision.
Having survived being viciously attacked and wounded by hyenas, Lazuli’s wounds needed to be treated thoroughly. On the 19th February 2019, Dr. Ferreira du Plessis and Dr. Albertus Coetzee sedated Lazuli and tended to his wounds surgically. Some shredded tissue had to be removed and many sutures applied. The Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary team continues to monitor Lazuli’s progress and we are happy to report that his condition continues to improve.
On the 21st February 2019, Lazuli was introduced to baby Ribbon for the first time. The moment was simply magical. The two orphans nuzzled each other, and became the friends they have been waiting for, in an instance! We are happy to report that the two orphaned rhinos have since been moved out of the ICU and now spend their days playing, napping and eating together in one of the larger bomas at the main holding facility.
An Update on the latest youngsters that were released
The group of young orphaned rhinos that were reintroduced back into the wild within the Care for Wild Rhino Stronghold last month are doing exceptionally well. The orphans have settled in to their new bush home and can be seen enjoying their life to the full.
The group of orphans enjoy playing in mudbaths throughout the reserve and near the river. They are growing in size with all the green grass that envelops them. They wander the rolling fields and hills, exploring and seeking new adventures as their confidence builds.
We are proud to say that little orphaned rhino, Lilli, has adapted excellently to the bush as well. She continues to be fed her milk in the bush, daily, and remains the social butterfly of the released rhinos, a free spirit.
CFW's K9 unit
Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary is protected on various levels by our Anti-Poaching Units, one of which is the K9 Unit. The K9 Unit, which includes the dogs and their handlers, patrol the main holding facility, day and night, as well as the Rhino Stronghold, where many of the orphaned rhinos have been reintroduced into the wild.
We are proud to say that we have employed two additional K9 Unit dog handlers that have been trained to work with the dogs at the sanctuary. Dog training is an on going happening at CFW and two of our dogs have recently completed a refresher course. They are all eager, willing and alert. Here is a pic of Diesel on the scent.
Meet Lazuli, our latest arrival
On the evening of the 14th February 2019, Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary was notified about a calf that had been orphaned the previous night (13th February 2019) on a private game reserve adjacent to the Kruger National Park. Three rhino cows were poached at a waterhole, one of which had a young male calf at her side.
The young rhino bull was located around 4pm on the 14th February 2019 and seen to have been injured by hyenas. Due to the size of the calf, a helicopter was not going to be able to transport the calf to safety. The rescue team needed to devise another plan while the rangers kept an eye on the orphaned rhino. A trailer was made available and sent to the location. Having gotten lost in the unforgiving bush, the trailer eventually arrived at the calf around 8:30pm.
Veterinarian Dr. Joel Alves, darted the young calf and rescued him from the bush. The calf was placed on a drip and basic wound care was given and he was loaded onto the trailer and begun his journey to safety. Unfortunately, due to the harsh nature of the bush, the trailer suffered damage to the tire, rendering it unsafe to continue. Being the middle of the night, the team had very few options.
Fortunately, a pick up truck with a canopy was made available to assist in the rescue of the orphaned calf. This less-than-ideal option was the only option the team had, as the life of the orphaned calf was at stake. The rescue team moved the injured calf across into the back of the canopied vehicle. Cushions and blankets from the nearby camp were used to make the journey as comfortable as possible. The team finally made their way to Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary where they arrived at 02:54am in the morning.
Upon arrival, the calf was moved from the vehicle into the baby rhino crate at the Intensive Care Unit. The orphan’s wounds were cleaned and treatment begun. The calf’s vital signs were monitored as his blood glucose levels on arrival were very low. The orphaned rhino began learning to drink from a bottle just a few hours after his arrival, and by the next day he was drinking his milk well.
Lazuli, as he is now named, has a very special meaning. Lazuli means royalty and honor, gods and power, spirit and vision.
Having survived being viciously attacked and wounded by hyenas, Lazuli’s wounds needed to be treated thoroughly. On the 19th February 2019, Dr. Ferreira du Plessis and Dr. Albertus Coetzee sedated Lazuli and tended to his wounds surgically. Some shredded tissue had to be removed and many sutures applied. The Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary team continues to monitor Lazuli’s progress and we are happy to report that his condition continues to improve.
On the 21st February 2019, Lazuli was introduced to baby Ribbon for the first time. The moment was simply magical. The two orphans nuzzled each other, and became the friends they have been waiting for, in an instance! We are happy to report that the two orphaned rhinos have since been moved out of the ICU and now spend their days playing, napping and eating together in one of the larger bomas at the main holding facility.
An Update on the latest youngsters that were released
The group of young orphaned rhinos that were reintroduced back into the wild within the Care for Wild Rhino Stronghold last month are doing exceptionally well. The orphans have settled in to their new bush home and can be seen enjoying their life to the full.
The group of orphans enjoy playing in mudbaths throughout the reserve and near the river. They are growing in size with all the green grass that envelops them. They wander the rolling fields and hills, exploring and seeking new adventures as their confidence builds.
We are proud to say that little orphaned rhino, Lilli, has adapted excellently to the bush as well. She continues to be fed her milk in the bush, daily, and remains the social butterfly of the released rhinos, a free spirit.
CFW's K9 unit
Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary is protected on various levels by our Anti-Poaching Units, one of which is the K9 Unit. The K9 Unit, which includes the dogs and their handlers, patrol the main holding facility, day and night, as well as the Rhino Stronghold, where many of the orphaned rhinos have been reintroduced into the wild.
We are proud to say that we have employed two additional K9 Unit dog handlers that have been trained to work with the dogs at the sanctuary. Dog training is an on going happening at CFW and two of our dogs have recently completed a refresher course. They are all eager, willing and alert. Here is a pic of Diesel on the scent.
Last edited:
Angry Aussie
New member
That’s so cool, I had a Bloodhound for 13 years, she was amazing.
Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
Clutch
Caught the Bug
GTJeeper
New member
TonyP
New member
It was a particularly hot day yesterday with temps reaching 42 degrees C in the shade.
Arthur decided it would be a good idea to take his mud bath to shield his leathery skin from the sun.
The young lad is looking so healthy and happy.
https://youtu.be/xK1mNY75wNI
Arthur decided it would be a good idea to take his mud bath to shield his leathery skin from the sun.
The young lad is looking so healthy and happy.
https://youtu.be/xK1mNY75wNI
Last edited:
wjtstudios
Hooked
TonyP
New member
Arthur will one day be a big dominant bull with his choice of female companions at the sanctuary. Even at his very young age he shows signs of a confident aloofness from time to time, not often, but it is there in between his playful boy like recklessness.
Comparing him to some of the other young males at the sanctuary, you can see a definite difference in his behavior and attitude. We have a 3 year old named Forrest who, although growing into a large specimen, does not have Arthur's confidence.
Make no mistake, Arthur can still act like the baby he is when it's time for his milk bottle. His high pitched bleats are a massive contrast to all his snorting and foot scraping when at play. He is aptly named as Arthur the Brave.
Last night, I was thinking that seeing that you guys enjoy the very short videos I have posted on Art, maybe I should do a "Day in the life' of this little hero. A 25 minute video of his antics from sunrise to sunset.
There's always a big danger of attributing human characteristics and emotions to animals, but this automatically happens when trying to describe their actions in words maybe a video will allow you all to draw your own conclusions.
Having said that, in my years of studying wild animal behavior and social structures, I am convinced that we have no idea as to the depths of their intelligence and communication skills.
In the mid 1960's I had the privilege of doing a two year study on one particular matriarchal herd of elephant in the Zambezi Valley of the then Rhodesia, all I can say is it blew my mind.
Comparing him to some of the other young males at the sanctuary, you can see a definite difference in his behavior and attitude. We have a 3 year old named Forrest who, although growing into a large specimen, does not have Arthur's confidence.
Make no mistake, Arthur can still act like the baby he is when it's time for his milk bottle. His high pitched bleats are a massive contrast to all his snorting and foot scraping when at play. He is aptly named as Arthur the Brave.
Last night, I was thinking that seeing that you guys enjoy the very short videos I have posted on Art, maybe I should do a "Day in the life' of this little hero. A 25 minute video of his antics from sunrise to sunset.
There's always a big danger of attributing human characteristics and emotions to animals, but this automatically happens when trying to describe their actions in words maybe a video will allow you all to draw your own conclusions.
Having said that, in my years of studying wild animal behavior and social structures, I am convinced that we have no idea as to the depths of their intelligence and communication skills.
In the mid 1960's I had the privilege of doing a two year study on one particular matriarchal herd of elephant in the Zambezi Valley of the then Rhodesia, all I can say is it blew my mind.
