Venus, the rehabilitated rhino orphan, is about to give birth to her first calf. With her is Care for Wild founder and CEO Petronel Nieuwoudt. | Screenshot
Durban — Will the birth of a rhino calf at Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary be an end-of-year celebration or a start-of-the-year celebration?
On Sunday, Care for Wild said Venus, a rehabilitated and released rhino orphan, was on the brink of giving birth to her first calf.
Care for Wild said the signs indicate delivery in the next 24-48 hours.
Venus was rescued in 2014 after poachers killed her mother.
After she arrived, Care for Wild founder and CEO Petronel Nieuwoudt noticed Venus had a severe injury to her foot, which required extensive treatment.
“... it remains a miracle she is with us today and about to give birth to her very own calf,” Care for Wild said.
The sanctuary added that Venus is in an extensive area of the Intensive Protection Zone, her rangers were to remain with her through the night to ensure her safety and watch over her.
Elaborating, in a video, Nieuwoudt introduced Venus and said they were awaiting her calf’s arrival. She said they could see all the signs that there was a baby that was going to be born on Sunday or Monday.
When Venus arrived, she weighed approximately 160kg and was around four to five months old.
“That evening I found underneath her foot a massive injury. She lost the whole sole of her foot. So she was in immense pain and we never thought that she could be rewilded and live a happy life and have her own baby,” Nieuwoudt said.
Nieuwoudt said they had the APU members and the ranger to look after her. Venus is in an extensive area and not at all in a close confined area.
She said since it was Venus’s first calf, they came out to see how she was doing because she had never been with her mom and could not see how this was happening.
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