Rescue Team Saves an Orphaned Baby Rhino Who Was Shot by Poacher With a High-Powered Rifle

An emergency team from Care for Wild Africa Rhino Sanctuary came to the rescue of an eight-month old female rhinoceros who had been shot by the same poacher who killed her mother with a high-powered rifle. The injured orphaned calf had been spotted in the Mpumalanga region of South Africa, but it took close to a week to pinpoint her exact location due to thick brush and heavy rain. Filmmakers from the upcoming documentary “Disunity” captured the entire rescue.

Incredibly, nearly 8 days after the poaching incident and with hope fading that the calf may not survive, the helicopter called to say they had spotted it. Petronel, Veterinarian Dr. Albertus Coetzee and the reserves anti-poaching unit immediately set out to find and sedate the calf. The orphaned rhino was then transported immediately to the Care for Wild Africa Rhino Sanctuary and is undergoing treatment for the bullet wound.