Today is World Rhino Day 2018. A day that the plight of the rhino is once again highlighted through the strength of social media, such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The heartbreaking story of Ronnie and Lahliwe stretches much further back, before the era of social media, whereby now (fortunately), the world has been made aware of the war many of us are fighting to keep the rhino species in existence….
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Exactly two years ago today, on 19th September 2016, we received a five year old rhino bull, a poaching survivor, from Pilanesberg National Park. Ike was rescued fourteen months prior to his arrival at HESC, by the anti-poaching unit in the Pilanesberg National Park. He was found with both of his horns hacked off, and deep wounds across his back, resulting from an attack with a panga. The damage on his…
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The Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre (HESC) is delighted to announce a new partnership with the Black Mamba Anti-Poaching Unit, the first majority female anti-poaching unit in South Africa. Founded in 2013 by Transfrontier Africa NPC, the Black Mamba Anti-Poaching unit was formed to protect the Olifants West Region of Balule Nature Reserve. Within the first year of operation the Black Mambas were invited to expand into other regions, and now protect all…
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Looking at Dingle Dell today, it is hard to imagine the gruesome sight we first witnessed five years ago, when both she and Lion’s Den arrived at our centre, in September 2013. She endured and survived a heinous attack by rhino poachers, who had sawn her horn off and left her to die. Luckily she was found in time, and brought to us at HESC to treat her and rehabilitate…
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Our journey with Esme started 8 months ago, when she arrived at HESC in October 2017, after being rescued from certain death. She was so thin, literally skin and bones, weighing only 50kg, after her mothers milk was not providing her with any nutrients, although she had been suckling. Eight months later, and we can proudly say she has become a strong and healthy young rhino, and although she is too…
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