The first cold front is on its way across South Africa and even the rhinos are feeling it; rhino orphans Benji and Balega were snapped cuddling recently, keeping each other warm through the chilly night.
Undisclosed Location, South Africa (11 May 2023) – Brrr South Africa, winter is on the way! The Rhino Orphanage shared how they are combatting the cold this winter and it’s simple… cuddling!
We are no strangers to seeing rhinos cuddle when it starts getting chilly. When Benji aka Kwayera first arrived at the Rhino Orphanage, he would cuddle Hunter the anti-poaching K9. Since Benji has grown though, he needs someone a little more his size.
Benji is best friends with Balega. The orphans arrived at the orphanage around the same time in 2022. Benji arrived first in March 2022 and Balega arrived in December 2022. They have been keeping each other company and now through the coming winter, will keep each other warm too.
Balega recently ate something that didn’t sit well with him so not only was it comforting to have a friend to stay warm through the chillier evenings, but it was also a comfort to have a friend there to help him feel better.
“Our sweet little boys, Benji and Balega, snuggling up close to each other as the autumn chill creeps up at night. Balega has been feeling a little under the weather the last day or two, with mild colic and a slight fever. Luckily, with the carers closely monitoring all the orphans daily, it was picked up early and treated promptly. Our vet suspects that he accidentally ingested a plant from the Solanaceae family, causing the gastric upset, chills and diarrhoea but thankfully only giving mild symptoms and not fatal.
Balega is feeling much better today, eating well and is not showing any more symptoms apart from loose faeces. And rhino moms checked the bomas with a magnifying glass, removing any source of accidental problems.”
The pair are in good hands and as soon as Balega is feeling 100%, we are sure they will get back to fun morning chases and soaking up the afternoon sun during naps.
The Rhino Orphanage takes care of all the calves left behind due to poaching. These young rhinos often need 24-hour specialised care, which is why they are taken from the wild and cared for at the orphanage. They would not survive out in the wild on their own.
Arrie van Deventer founded the Rhino Orphanage in 2012. The orphanage takes in young rhinos, rehabilitates them and then releases them back into the wild when they are ready. The facility became the world’s first rhino orphanage.
Since then, they have saved countless young rhinos and returned them back to the wild. The team dedicates itself entirely to the cause, working day and night to be there for the scared young souls.
You can follow the work they do via Facebook here.
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