The young rhino was in difficulty. She had gotten stuck in a muddy hole and couldn’t get herself out because she was so small and frail.
Makosi, the mother rhino, made an effort to assist but just made matters worse. She stirred up dirt while attempting to extricate her baby, which caused the infant to sink farther.
However, assistance was nearby. The mother and calf were found by Kenya Wildlife Service rangers who were conducting a routine patrol of the Meru National Park Rhino Sanctuary. The rangers evaluated the situation and decided that action was necessary to preserve the infant’s life. The infant would probably perish in the mud if they didn’t.
Amie Alden, communication and media officer for the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (DSWT), told The Dodo that the rangers “clambered into the swamp region to rescue the baby after putting down their weapons, removing their boots, and rolling up their trousers.” Because they were so small, they were able to carry Maarifa (the infant) to safety in their arms.
Maarifa has adapted well to her new caregivers and enjoys running around and engaging in chase games, according to Alden. She is looked after by a rotating crew of keepers; this was done on purpose to stop her from growing too connected to any one person in case they had to be away from her for an extended period of time.
Maarifa is still young, so it’s difficult to predict how she’ll do in the coming weeks and months, but the DSWT team is confident in her survival.
Maarifa will continue to be cared for by the DSWT team for the next eight years, but after that, they will start letting her go out into the world on her own.
As with every orphaned elephant we save, Alden continued, “when Maarifa is grown, our goal is to reintegrate Maarifa back into the wild in a protected area.”
