Durban – Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary captured yet another rhino birth on video, the second one in four months.
The sanctuary’s founder and chief executive Petronel Nieuwoudt said that five calves born this year are the most births in a year.
“This is the most, the first baby born at Care for Wild was the first of two rhino orphans ever,” Nieuwoudt said.
When asked whether any rhinos were pregnant and if they were expecting any more births this year, Nieuwoudt said that their gestation periods are very long, between 15-18 months long, so it is difficult to confirm with certainty.
“We do not expect any for the beginning of the year, but can’t confirm it with 100% certainty,” she added, about births at the start of 2023.
On the five births registered this year, Nieuwoudt said that all five calves are doing well.
Earlier this month, Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary captured another rhino birth on video.
Care for Wild said it was extremely humbled to announce its fifth birth this year.
It said that at 5.05pm on December 8, 2022, ten-and-a-half-year-old rehabilitated and released orphan Timbi gave birth to a bull calf.
Care for Wild said that the team had been anticipating the birth for a few days after Timbi’s milk came through and she began to isolate herself from the rest of the rhinos.
“At 4.30pm Timbi’s guard called Petronel to announce that her water had broken and she was beginning to push. Petronel raced to Timbi, running through the river! But Timbi did not have as smooth a delivery as our four other new moms.”
Care for Wild said that as the baby began to emerge, Petronel saw that he was in a breech position. His back legs were visible but Timbi was struggling and running out of energy. Breech deliveries can be very dangerous as the umbilical cord can be flattened or twisted and the baby can lose blood flow to the hind legs.
“But Timbi has always had unfathomable strength and we were left in awe at her determination to bring her son into the world. She successfully delivered her calf minutes later without the need for intervention. We are so proud of her,” said Care for Wild.
“Both Mom and baby are doing well.”
On Facebook, the video has been viewed 21 million times.
In August, Care for Wild captured the birth of a rhino calf on video.
It announced the birth of its third calf and for the first time managed to capture it on video.
On YouTube, the video has been viewed 1.5 million times.
Care for Wild said a 9-year-old white rhino cow Olive gave birth to a male calf at 7.50am.
Olive was orphaned in 2013 after poachers killed her mother. She was just 10 months old when she was rescued and brought to the sanctuary.
“For the first time, the birth was captured on video.”
The sanctuary said that despite keeping distance, Olive remained close to her long-term protector throughout the early stages of labour and kept him close during delivery.
“This is an unbelievably special moment to see this precious new life take his first breaths. By the grace of God, we welcome this miracle to the world.”
“Her little son has become the third calf born to two orphans of poaching, making Storm a father for the third time. Another light, another sign of hope for the species,” Care for Wild said.
Daily News