On Monday, February 12, 2024, Rhino Revolution received disturbing news that one of our rhinos was spotted with a noose around its neck. Our team immediately set out to check the situation. The affected rhino was #34, one of the dominate bulls.
Upon arrival, the situation was confirmed: the rhino had a several-meter-long thick steel wire around its head that got tangled while running. The animal was spotted without a snare just the day before. It was obvious that the rhino could not free itself from the snare. A rescue team was immediately put together.
Due to the darkness, the rescue operation could not be carried out until the following day. We accompanied the rhino as long as possible to make the search easier.
A helicopter, a veterinarian and our ground team were needed for the rescue operation. Early on the morning of February 13, our team and Rhino Revolution Europe set out to locate the rhino. Thanks to the helicopter, the rhino was quickly located, and the vet successfully used the sedative.
The ground team removed the snare in less than 10 minutes, and Rhino #34 awoke quickly after receiving the antidote. Fortunately, the rhino did not suffer any injuries from the snare and we are relieved that we were notified of the incident in a timely manner.
A big thank you goes to our financial supporters from Germany, especially Vanessa, Patricia, Anni and Natascha, who responded to our appeal for donations. We would also like to thank Painteddog.tv, who accompanied the campaign and broadcast it live on YouTube, as well as for their financial support.
Another thank you goes to Gerry, the helicopter pilot, Piet, the veterinarian, and the entire ground team for their dedicated cooperation. The actual costs of the rescue operation will be determined and communicated transparently in the next few days.