New baby white rhino!
Amazing news for Imire and for rhino conservation in Zimbabwe! In the early hours of 9th June 2020 our night patrol came across Ntombi, our female white rhino, with a new-born calf! We had been expecting Ntombi to give birth at any moment, but it was still a wonderful surprise when the call came through.
The first half of 2020 has been challenging for conservation globally. It brought an overnight halt to tourism, global lockdown and reduced funding for conservation projects like ours and many others. Out of the darkness, a rhino birth is a spark of light, a beacon of hope that all is not lost for the world's wildlife.
For us here at Imire, a baby rhino is the ultimate prize. This is what we dream of, the reason why we work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This is the reward for the hard work, energy, blood, sweat and tears of our scouts, Anti-Poaching Unit and the whole Imire team. Every new rhino birth is an enormous success story, testament to our amazing, dedicated staff who devote their lives to our wildlife.
Hope for rhino conservation in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is home to approximately 800 rhinos, which includes both white and black, so this new arrival is a significant birth not only for us, but for rhino conservation in the whole country. Every single rhino counts.
Ntombi is keeping the new baby close to her, and we will be giving them both space to settle in, and space for Masimba, Ntombi's first calf who is three, to find his new place in the family.
We will keep you updated just as soon as we can! Follow our Facebook and Instagram pages for the latest updates on the baby rhino and all our wonderful wildlife.
Photos in this post are all by Sam and Vera from Africa Living.
