They made room for one more…
Limpopo, South Africa (26 March 2026) – The Rhino Orphanage (TRO) recently welcomed an unexpected new arrival. Not a rhino this time, but a month-old sable calf who needed a family just as much.
The team was called in after the little bull appeared weak, and struggling to nurse.
“The baby was weak, dehydrated and didn’t seem to drink from its mother. The property owner and attending vet Dr Ben Uys, assessed and thought that moms milk may have dried up. They were also concerned about his left eye.” TRO shared.
When he arrived at TRO in Limpopo, a clinical examination confirmed that the calf had been fighting considerable pain.
“It was discovered that the little guy had a very bad, painful cut in his mouth, a swollen lower lip and an ulcer in his left eye.”
The ‘baby’ sable was treated for pain, given antibiotics and received eye treatment. Thankfully after 24 hours of trying, he started suckling and is looking better already.
And so, the crash made room for one more.
While the name might lead you to believe the orphanage only welcomes rhinos, there happen to be a number of other residents, including goats and lambs, at TRO. They are brought in to comfort and companion the calves who are too small to be around bigger rhinos but too fragile to be alone.
TRO’s work follows four careful stages of rescue, raising, rehabilitating, releasing. Each is a step toward giving orphaned rhinos a chance to return to the wild where they belong.
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