Archive for 2012

They’re alive! Both Themba and Thandi continue to fight for their lives at Kariega. Thandi is simply inspirational ! The way she is moving around the reserve indicates her position in the recovery process is improving every day. We found her...

Once again we find ourselves on the eve of planned vet procedures on Themba and Thandi. The build up to these operations is very stressful. Most wildlife procedures require much more planning and thought than actual time we spend carrying them...

For the first time since this horrendous ordeal began, Themba showed us some real signs of progress this afternoon. He is much more alert than he has been and although he is still not taking weight on his leg, he gave us a good rev when we tried...

Themba continues to be a worry as we are not aware of him drinking at all since his anaesthetic which is now 2 days ago. There was rain on the first night which may have given him some puddles of water to drink from. He is only a few hundred...

Themba has only moved about 30 meters through the day and he has not been near water since the procedure more than 24 hours ago. This is making us feel a little anxious and we hope that he will make it down to water tonight. He does appear to be...

Day 10 for Thandi and Themba. Thandi spent a lot of time after her procedure yesterday out on the plains grazing like a healthy rhino which is quite remarkable. The inclusion of the sedative drug in the dart which we hope causes short-term amnesia...

It has been a dramatic day at Kariega. Having set out with the possibility of loosing Themba, we ended emotionally drained but relieved that they are both still alive. We all find it so difficult to get used to the gruesome extent of their...

Aged 15 I was riding my bicycle through a quiet, leafy Pretoria suburb when a traffic-cop pulled me over: “You didn’t stop at that stop-sign,” he said. I explained that I was travelling slowly and could see and hear without stopping that there was...

Thandi, the female rhino, has not been seen today but her general whereabouts is known and she has been mobile so we have left her alone for today. Themba, the male has spent most of the day lying up in the same location which as a behaviour...

During the night Themba moved about 350 meters and was found lying up in a good area. There are obvious signs of him having grazed during the night and we are not going to disturb him today for treatment. Full assessment will be done tomorrow...