When a young little rhino came at South Africa’s Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary, he needed all the assistance he could receive to live.
A South African National Parks (SANParks) veterinarian discovered Arthur curled up beside his mother’s dying body late last month and took him to the refuge. Poachers who killed Arthur’s mother also injured him with a machete on his foot and back to get him out of the way.
While veterinarians have treated Arthur’s physical wounds, Arthur also needed help to recover from his emotional scars.
Because newborn rhinos spend their first three years of life with their mothers, Arthur will benefit greatly from the presence of a rhino pal.
Summer, a rhino that was orphaned at an early age and is now 6 months old, was just introduced to Arthur in the hopes of helping him.
When Summer first saw little Arthur, still bandaged around his back and his foot, she immediately approached him and started to touch her nose to his.
Arthur appeared to like having Summer’s nose push him, and his mouth even turned up a little at one point.
“They already like spending time with one other and playing together,” the sanctuary’s owner, Petronel Nieuwoudt, told. “We can already see he’ll be a large, strong bull, and we’re quite proud of him.”
Summer and Arthur had been smitten with one other since they first met.
The shelter noted, “After only a few days together, Arthur and Summer are already displaying a great friendship.” “Arthur and Summer reunited like old friends and appear to be in love.”
The sanctuary’s staff recognizes the need for socialization for their rhinos as they mature and recover from traumatic events. And seeing rhinos reunited with their new family is a heartwarming sight that gives everyone hope after such tragic circumstances.
The sanctuary noted on Facebook that “rehabilitation is made much simpler when the orphans can be together to build ties with other rhinos.” “These kinds of introductions are crucial, but they’re also a lot of fun to see. Seeing orphaned rhinos join together and overcome their stress after coming from similar terrible situations is definitely rhino magic.”
Arthur and Summer will grow up together at the sanctuary, and, assuming all goes well, eventually be able to return to the wild.
“We are optimistic about his healing,” Nieuwoudt said. “He has done amazingly well so far!”
Arthur is already much stronger — he’s even practicing how to charge with a little toy tire in the yard.
The sanctuary noted on Facebook that “rehabilitation is made much simpler when the orphans can be together to build ties with other rhinos.” “These kinds of introductions are crucial, but they’re also a lot of fun to see. Seeing orphaned rhinos join together and overcome their stress after coming from similar terrible situations is definitely rhino magic.”
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