NURTURING:
A newborn rhino calf being watched over by his mother at the Aquila Private Game Reserve. Less than two years ago, the rhino accidentally abandoned her calf, named Osita by the reserve’s ‘Saving Private Rhino’ team, who were unable to reunite the two. Mom and newborn are healthy and bonding.
‘We had a bad poaching incident, but have sharpened up since’
A WHITE rhino that abandoned her calf almost two years ago gave birth to another calf around midnight on Sunday at the Aquila Private Game Reserve near Touws River.
The rhino is the mother of local favourite Osita, that she abandoned in a state of confusion two years ago while in a scuffle with another rhino.
The story of Osita garnered a great deal of attention on the private reserve’s social media, as after several unsuccessful attempts to reintroduce mother and calf the reserve’s “Saving Private Rhino” team stepped in.
Conservation manager Divan Grobler told the Cape Times that rhinos only breed every three to five years.
“She walked away from Osita as she believed another calf was hers, scuffled with the other mother and walked after them, abandoning Osita, that we raised because she had not returned to him in almost 48 hours, which is critical for a calf ’s development,” Grobler said. Rhinos lived to the age of 50 and raised their calves for between five and seven years, he said.
Grobler said that they were a tight-knit team without which he would not be able to handle the daily rigours and challenges of caring for the many species on the reserve.
“We have a 24-hour anti -poaching unit on duty, and as a rule we do not disclose how many rhinos we currently have on our reserve. A few years ago we had a serious poaching incident but have sharpened up since then.” he said.
Osita’s mother had scuffled with other rhinos over their calves, said Grobler, also recalling a recent time when mother and calf came into contact. From his vantage point, he believes there was some type of connection but it was fleeting.
Aquila private reserve said: “Staff at the reserve monitored the cow’s (rhino) progress while she was in the clash and noticed in that in recent days she showed signs of impending birth.
‘‘The mother and baby, whose gender is yet to be confirmed, are doing well and the team have noticed a strong bond, which has come as a positive indication and a relief,” a statement read.
The team said it was a privilege to have witnessed the two together and a moment that “will live with us forever”.