We seldom get to see the birth of a wild animal, but due to the Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary, we may now see the wonder of life as Olive, a white rhino, gave birth to a male calf. The organization’s video leaves little to the imagination, but it’s a wonderful sight as the little guy makes his way into the world—especially because rhinos remain a critically endangered species owing to poaching and habitat destruction.
The Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary provides additional background on the birth. “[A] 9-year-old white rhino cow Olive gave birth to a male calf this morning at 7:50 a.m.,” they reported on Facebook. “The delivery was videotaped for the first time by Olive’s guard. Despite his remoteness, Olive stayed close to her long-term guardian during the early stages of labor and during delivery. Seeing this lovely new life take his first breaths is an incredible experience.”
Olive was orphaned nearly ten years ago after her mother was slain by poachers. She arrived to Care for Wild when she was 10 months old, and she was one of the first rhinos to finish the rehabilitation program and start the “rewilding and release program.” Through these initiatives, rhinos are cared for and then released into a protected area of their natural habitat once they are healthy. They are watched by professionally trained Rhino Monitors, who record their behavior and study the rhinos’ social dynamics.
The sanctuary is part of the Barberton Nature Reserve complex in South Africa. Care for the Wild and its surrounding regions have been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Olive, the rhino, gave birth to a male calf lately. Both mother and child are doing well.
The two are residents of the Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary, which documented the calf’s birth.
Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary: Website | Instagram | Facebook
Leave a Reply