Heart-wrenching photos of an injured baby rhino next to his dead mother have left people teary-eyed on social media. The photo of a calf with a dart on his back is doing the rounds on social media and people are moved by this sad story.
The injured calf and his mother are the recent victim of poaching in South Africa’s Kruger National Park.
The one-month-old was spared only because he was too young to develop the double horns for which his mother was murdered. But the little one was still badly hurt as they attacked him with their machetes, seriously injuring its back and right foot.
His story went viral after South Lakes Safari Zoo in Dalton recently pledged their support to raise money for his rehabilitation and care.
Posted by Safari Zoo on Saturday, 25 August 2018
The injured baby was rescued by an anti-poaching unit and quickly taken to a nearby rhino orphanage called the Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary.
Giving details about his injury, the Safari Zoo website wrote, “His wounds included a cut to the toe nail, splitting the nail down to the nail bed, and a 4-inch machete gash to his back, slicing through his cartilage, dangerously close to his spine. His wounds were cleaned and bandaged and his deep back wound stitched up.”
The little baby was named Arthur for his resilience and courage and has been recovering with love from his human caregivers. Little Arthur is healing slowly at the orphanage where he has been there for three months now. “Arthur’s mother was snatched from him at an early age, Arthur still calls out for his Mum, a sound that breaks the heart of his human caregivers. Arthur will be emotionally scarred for a long time – long after his physical wounds have healed,” the website added.
The zoo is now raising money to help the baby with a campaign called ‘Arthur’s Army’ and has pledged £1,600 a month for his treatment and care. And all the additional money raised will also be donated to the orphanage to help other victims like him.
