Jessie the Rescue Rhino's 1-Month-Old Calf Gets His Name

Photo Credit: The Rhino Orphanage

Jessie’s adorable baby boy has reached another special milestone, and his newly revealed name carries a beautiful meaning.

Limpopo, South Africa (18 August 2026) – Last month, we shared the wonderful news that Jessie, a rescue rhino who arrived at The Rhino Orphanage as a frightened four-month-old calf after losing her mother to poaching, had welcomed a healthy baby boy of her own.

Now, the little one has reached another sweet milestone – he has a name!

At a month and a half old, the youngster has officially been named after a formal Swahili word that could not be more fitting for the little rhino.

“Tulivu is a formal Swahili word that means peace, calmness and tranquility. When Jessie was found after giving birth, it was one of the most peaceful scenes the team has experienced.” The Rhino Orphanage shares.

When the monitoring team found Jessie after she had given birth, they were greeted by one of the most peaceful moments they had ever experienced in the field.

Jessie recognised the familiar contact calls of the women who had helped raise her all those years ago and softly called back. Instead of fear, there was trust. She looked at the team with understanding, knowing they posed no threat to her tiny calf.

“She knew they were no threat to her baby. Her calmness and trust was quite overwhelming and some tears did flow.”

To understand the weight of this beautiful milestone in Jessie’s life, you need to know her story. She arrived at The Rhino Orphanage in 2020 after surviving a poaching attack that claimed her mother’s life. Injured, malnourished and alone, she needed months of dedicated care before slowly finding her confidence and forming friendships with fellow orphaned rhinos.

And now, she is raising a calf of her own, in a safe space!

The Rhino Orphanage says Jessie has taken naturally to motherhood and couldn’t be prouder of the young rhino and the other orphaned females who are now raising calves in safety.

“She has been such a wonderful young mother and we are so proud of her and all the other orphans rearing their calves.”

‘Peace’ best represents the moment Tulivu was found, but it also reflects what Jessie has gained since her rescue, and what her little boy now has the chance to grow up knowing.