When an adorable rock hyrax found itself trapped beneath a massive generator, a community came together to orchestrate a daring and strangely comical rescue. After a tense and delicate operation, the hyrax emerged unharmed, ready to return to its natural habitat.
Pretoria, South Africa (24 November 2024) – It would appear that several little creatures have been finding themselves in some rather tight and uncomfortable situations lately. If it isn’t a kitten finding himself in a car engine, it’s a rock hyrax that got trapped beneath a massive generator at an office park!
The rock hyrax commonly referred to as the Dassie in South Africa, was discovered on Monday after peculiar noises prompted an investigation, revealing the poor creature tightly wedged in an almost impossible position.
South African Wildlife Rehabilitation Center’s Hermien Grobler responded to a call from Alta Olivier about the poor dassie’s predicament.
“Recognising the complexity of the situation, Miena consulted with Judy Davidson for advice to ensure the hyrax’s safety.
“Shortly after, Deon Myburgh arrived, and the discussion continued as to the pros and cons of using jacks or lifts to raise the generator enough to free the animal,” explains the wildlife centre.
Security officers soon joined the rescue operation and with three men guiding and gently pushing the hyrax using a broom, and Hermien carefully pulling her hind legs, progress was slow but steady.
Eventually, the entire broom was positioned under the generator. At this point, one of the officers lay down and used his foot to push the broom further under the generator. This provided Hermien with just enough leverage to gently manoeuvre the hyrax to freedom.
Reflecting on the effort, Hermien jokes:
“It felt like my midwifery days: Push. Push. Push. Stop pushing. One hard push! She’s out!”
Once freed, the hyrax was thoroughly checked for injuries and her movements were monitored for an hour. Fresh water and a few yummy treats were provided, as it was unclear how long the hyrax had been trapped.
Thankfully, she seemed none the worse for the ordeal, and she was released safely into Faerie Glen Nature Reserve, near where other hyraxes are known to be living.
This challenging rescue had a beautiful ending, thanks to the teamwork and determination of everyone involved!
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