BORN FREE FOUNDATION - Keep Wild. Keep Free. Major and General.

BORN FREE FOUNDATION

KEEP WILDLIFE IN THE WILD

The Black Rhino

  1989

You are looking at 50 million years of survival. Now, they are almost gone, because of the very thing nature gave them to protect themselves. Once the horn is removed, the Rhinos are not able to survive. Hunters use anything they can to remove the horn, while the Rhino is still alive. They even use chainsaws, so they take the horn more quickly, and then sell on the back market. And what for? The keratin, the daggers symbolizing masculinity. All kinds of ridiculous things like that.

They managed to put and entire species under extinction on nature and wild for money.

2011

I wish i could say things are different, but no. They are not.

Today, if you wish to see a Black Rhino, you can find them at reserves for animal rehabilitation or at ZOO's.

So many things have been done and yet, we were not able to save them. They are at the edge.

I don't think i really need to say anything else.

Just... We should be able to see them here, like this:

Born Free: BELLA GETS CHECKED OUT

BORN FREE

KEEP WILDLIFE IN THE WILD

It was time for Bella’s annual check up this week and everything went very smoothly.  After resident vet Dr Richard Ssuna had put her under anaesthetic, several volunteers had to be drafted in to carry her across the enclosure – all 180kg of her! 

As many of you will know, Bella had to have one eye removed in Romania, as the result of an untreated eye condition called glaucoma which had left the affected eye very bulbous, and being blind in that eye, the eye was at great risk of being damaged.  Bella also had a cataract in the other eye as a result of malnutrition during her time in the Romanian zoo.   An eye surgeon from Nkhoma Hospital was brought in especially to check the condition of her remaining eye, and he said that laser surgery might be helpful at some point to remove some scarring.  However, he is happy with her condition for now. 

Her joints were found to be a little stiff due to her arthritis - she has poor conformation, again probably as a result of malnutrition in captivity or in-breeding, and so she will go on a special joint supplement to help her loosen up.  

Blood tests were taken and she was also de-wormed and received vaccinations for rabies and tetanus and was given a little ‘pedicure’ to keep her claws in good nick.

Overall Richard was happy with her health, although she does appear to be enjoying her steak a little too much and needs to go on a diet! 

For more information on Bella:

BELLA'S SURGERY
BELLA'S RECOVERY