news24.co.za
August 31, 2001
Johannesburg - A three-week-old orphaned southern white rhino calf
was on Tuesday being cared for at Wildcare's centre near Pretoria
after a gruelling 12-hour race to safety from the arid Kalahari
over the weekend. The 70kg calf - named Kali - was found wondering
alone on a large game farm close to the SA-Botswana border by her
owners.
After their efforts failed to care for Kali - who stands less than
60cm high - they contacted wildlife rehabilitation organisation,
Wildcare. Wildcare director Karen Trendler said the weak Kali was
transported from the Kalahari to Pretoria using a modified horsebox.
Trendler said Kali's mother died of unexplained causes about 10
days ago. "Her owners - game farm operators close to Kuruman
near the South African-Botswana border - had been attempting to
care for her, but were concerned by her lack of response to treatment
and called on us for help," she said.
Trendler said the young rhino would require intensive, round-the-clock
nursing for at least two weeks to stabilise her physical condition.
Kali is expected to remain at Wildcare for at least 18- months for
the first stage of the rehabilitation process but would eventually
be reintroduced into the wild. Southern white rhino are considered
an endangered species, with about 10 400 roaming wild today - most
of them in South African nature reserves and parks.
Source: http://www.news24.co.za/News24/Technology/Science_Nature/0,1113,2-13-46_1068999,00.html.
Top
Privacy Policy
|
