JWVH Shares Why the Team Care for Neonates aka Baby Animals

Photo Credit: Ashleigh Pienaar for Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital

Behind every rescued wild baby is a team of experts fighting for its future, one bottle, one heartbeat, one tiny step at a time. These neonates are given a fighting chance.

Johannesburg, South Africa (24 June 2025) – In a quiet corner of Northern Johannesburg, a team of dedicated wildlife vets and carers is doing something truly extraordinary: giving orphaned baby wild animals, correctly termed “neonates”, a second chance at life. These are the tiniest patients imaginable, many no bigger than the palm of a hand, eyes still closed, bodies fragile and fur softer than you could ever imagine.

But don’t let their cuteness fool you. Neonates are incredibly vulnerable and complex to care for. They’re not just miniature versions of adults, they require species-specific care that mimics the wild, right down to the exact nutritional composition of milk, temperature regulation, gut flora, and feeding schedules. One misstep can mean the difference between life and death.

“At Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital, we often receive these neonates after their mothers have been injured, poached, or displaced,” the team explains. “Every baby that arrives is unique, and we treat them with the level of detail and dedication they deserve.”

That level of care is critical. Without it, well-meaning but uninformed rescue attempts can lead to heartbreaking complications, including:

Metabolic bone disease
Rickets
Stunted growth or deformities
Organ failure or developmental delays

Sadly, these conditions are often irreversible, and for the tiniest lives, sometimes fatal.

But in the hands of the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital, these babies have hope. Whether it’s a tiny antelope, a newborn rock hyrax, or an unexpected little rescue, each neonate gets a personalised plan to match their wild biology, because in the world of wildlife care, there is no “one size fits all.”

The work is lifesaving. But it’s also entirely donation-driven. Recently, the veterinary hospital shared that the loss of a major donor has meant they are facing funding challenges. Their hope is to rally the support of South Africans and corporates in an effort to continue the vital work being done.

The Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital receives no government funding, and their incredible efforts rely solely on public support. Every donation goes directly into the care of these fragile lives: specialised incubators, tailored milk formulas, 24-hour monitoring, and critical veterinary intervention when things go wrong.