Kolisi the orphaned Rhino calf is making leaps and bounds in his recovery

Photo Credit: Screengrab / The Rhino Orphanage

Kolisi the rhino orphan rescued after suffering injuries to his foot has made a heartwarming recovery, getting to run 9 months after his rescue.

Undisclosed Location (17 August 2020) – On the 7th of December the Rhino Orphanage received a 5-month-old Rhino Orphan from a private game reserve that appeared to have been attacked by Hyena. He was badly injured, and a portion of his back foot had been gnawed off. He was left with only one toe.

The team quickly started treating all his wounds to prevent any further tissue damage. The vet felt positive about the treatment plan. The next day the orphanage named the new arrival Kolisi because he is a little fighter!

As Kolisi started to heal, he became feistier, so much so that Dr Pierre had to wear cricket pads to protect her shins from his charges. As he settled in, he became easier to work with but still made it known vocally that he didn’t love human affections.

He was fitted with a special boot to help heal his foot. Once he was mobile, boy did he get around! It has now been nine months since he arrived at the orphanage and he has made leaps and bounds in his recovery. The last time we shared his story, it was March 2020, and Kolisi was getting into all kinds of trouble!

His favourite thing to do, to knock his carer down and climb on top to show his affections. Kolisi is still feisty, but he knows and loves the people who saved him and nursed him back to health. The team were discussing getting Kolisi a playmate at the time but needed to take it slow do to the health risks associated with stress.

On the 6th of August, the team shared the best video ever! Kolisi now has a friend, and his foot is mostly healed. He has a slight limp but nothing that prevents him from living a full life. The Rhino Orphanage released Kolisi and his friend into a large Boma so they could run around and Kolisi could barely contain his excitement.

He bounces around with joy and even took off on a run. Take a look at the adorable reaction below. For updates on his progress and the progress of other orphans, check out the Rhino Orphanage Facebook page here.