Mother died, the rhinoceros child refused to sleep alone

A rhino refused to sleep alone after seeing his mother being brutally murdered by poachers to get horns. This action melted the hearts of officials in the center of caring for endangered species.

Rhino Gertjie was rescued from the deep forest on May 7 by the Hoedspruit Endangered Animal Center (HESC) staff in South Africa when it was lying on the body of his mother.

It is now nearly 4 months old, building a new lifestyle to integrate with daily life. What is special is that this rhino cannot sleep alone if there is no one to touch and chat.

The orphaned rhinoceros rests on the foot of the caregiver's feet

The center staff said that when they were rescued, the baby rhino did not want to leave his mother's body and repeatedly " fuss " before being sedated and transferred to HESC. Gertjie spent the first night in the center with a nanny and a gentle sheep named Skaap. The sheep acts as a 'substitute mother'. Since then, the orphan rhino cannot sleep alone. Gertjie had a hobby of rubbing his nose at the staff's feet to look after him. Even Gertjie even lay down on the floor, resting his head on his feet.

After more than a month, Gertjie gradually regained his confidence and confidence. However, the endangered animal care staff still take turns looking after the baby rhino every 3 hours and sleep next to its room to make sure the food is provided regularly. The center also has a camera that allows people to see Gertjie through a new day with healthy activities like hiking, mud bathing and grazing.

Now this endangered animal center is calling for milk donations for the baby rhino because of its growing demand. Rhinos only wean completely when they are 15-18 months old, so staff said Gertjie will be cared for at HESC until he is ready to step into a wildlife conservation center.

In 2013, about 1,004 rhinos in South Africa were shot to kill horns. With the current rate of rhino hunting, it is expected that by 2026, this species will become extinct.