What happened to Azi and his mom is not unique; they survived a recent poaching incident and their traumatised and heart-broken owner sold them within days after the terrible and tragic incident.
Rhinos continued to be slaughtered at an alarming rate in South Africa and some desperate rhino owners cannot get rid of the survivors fast enough. Traumatised and disheartened, still reeling with shock caused by the brutality of these poaching incidents rhino owners will in most instances accept the first available offer to buy their remaining rhinos.
There is a new-breed rhino buyer and they see themselves as Rhino-Speculators although they are in effect animal traders.
While many people feel deeply for rhinos and what the animals have suffered and continue to endure, there are also animal traders that see these animals as nothing more than a commercial opportunity.
In most instances where poaching has taken place, the remaining rhinos on private properties normally have their horns intact and this presents Rhino-Speculators with the ideal opportunity to double up on their investments as animal traders.
They will purchase the surviving rhinos, relocate them to an interim location where the animals are summarily de-horned and then sold on to the next buyer.
Rhino horns do grow back and eventually it will be possible to de-horn the rhino again in a year or two.
Milk dependent rhino calves are separated from their mothers at the age of 12 - 24 months and many of them are sold and exported to countries such as Vietnam and China.
Unofficially more than 600 rhinos have already died at the hands of poachers in South Africa since 1 January 2017 to date. Shockingly the government is yet to release official statistics for 2017.
When SanWild heard about Azi and his Mamma's plight they secured a purchase agreement with the animal trader so that they can be relocated to an Intensive Protection Zone where they can remain together and live the life they deserve.
Here Azi ‘s Mamma will have the pleasure of seeing her young calf grow into a healthy white rhino bull instead of having to endure yet another loss when her calf is removed from her. Here both rhinos will be able to build social bonds with their own kind that will help them to overcome their emotional trauma sustained from the poaching incident and the subsequent capture, relocation and dehorning.
Please get involved and help us to help these two amazing rhinos!
www.generosity.com/animal-pet-fundraising/saving-azi-and-his-mamma
For more information please feel free to email louise@sanwild.org
Baby Rhino
Azi and his Mamma
