The Rhino Orphanage
If you find an orphaned baby rhino in South Africa, call the Rhino Orphanage Emergency Line at +27 836-454-398 or +27 833-453-320.
The Rhino Orphanage is the world’s first dedicated rhino orphanage. They rescue, raise, rehabilitate, and release orphaned rhino calves back into the wild after their mothers are killed by poachers.
Founded in 2012, the Rhino Orphanage is located in Mokopane, Limpopo, South Africa. They are not open to the public.
Key Takeaways
* Works to keep Rhinos from becoming extinct
* Rescues, raises, rehabilitates, and releases orphaned Rhinos
* The first Rhino orphanage in the world
The Rhino Rescue Center
The sanctuary provides:
- Secure enclosures for orphaned rhinos
- Veterinary care and trauma treatment
- Long-term rehabilitation in a controlled environment
Want to learn more about rhinos? Check out my Amazing Rhino Facts blog!
Hand-Rearing
Although newborn rhinos can weigh up to 110 pounds, they are completely dependent on their mothers. Baby rhinos are hand-reared by trained caretakers. Care includes multiple daily feedings with specialized milk formula and gradual introduction of solid food as they mature.
Calves are grouped by age, emotional dependency, and physical development. Human contact is carefully limited to avoid imprinting.
Want to learn more about rhino rescue? Check out my Helping Rhinos blog!
Encouraging Natural Behavior
Rhino calves are encouraged to behave like wild rhinos, not pets. This is essential for future survival in the wild. Daily activities include:
- Walking in the bush
- Grazing and browsing
- Socializing with other rhinos
- Wallowing in mud to regulate body temperature and protect skin
Veterinary Monitoring
Each rhino’s health is overseen by specialist wildlife veterinarians. Care includes regular health checks, tailored diets, treatment of injuries and infections, and stress management.
Human interaction is reduced over time to ensure the rhino can eventually survive independently in the wild.
Want to learn more about rhino rescue? Check out my International Rhino Foundation blog!
The Rhino Rescue Process
Rhino rescues are coordinated efforts involving veterinarians and anti-poaching teams. They safely sedate the animal, provide urgent medical care, and reduce stress during treatment or transport. Once stable, the rhino is released back into a protected habitat.
Rescue
Most rescues occur after poaching incidents.
- Young calves are often found near their mothers
- Older calves may flee and remain missing for days
- Many arrive dehydrated, stressed, or injured
Locate, Sedate, and Transport
- Helicopters are used to locate calves
- Veterinarians sedate the rhinos to reduce stress
- Calves are blindfolded and transported with caretakers present
- Travel time to the orphanage can take 2-4 hours or longer
Stabilization
Upon arrival, rhinos are placed in quiet holding rooms. Carers stay with them 24/7. Bottle-feeding begins once the calf is stable. Some calves take days or weeks to accept human care.
Rehabilitation
As rhinos grow, milk feeding is gradually phased out. Interaction with humans decreases and social bonds with other rhinos strengthen. This phase prepares rhinos for independence.
Release Back Into the Wild
Rhinos are typically released at 4-5 years old. At this stage, they are physically strong, socialized with other rhinos, and capable of defending themselves. Released rhinos are monitored and protected by their destination reserves.
Why The Rhino Orphanage Matters
Although newborn rhinos can weigh up to 100 pounds, they are completely dependent on their mothers. When a mother rhino is poached, the calf becomes vulnerable to dehydration and starvation, predators, severe emotional stress, and physical injuries caused by poachers. Without human intervention, most orphaned rhino calves do not survive.
The Rhino Orphanage fills a critical gap in wildlife conservation. Without sanctuaries like this, many orphaned rhinos would not survive. It:
- Saves orphaned rhino calves from certain death
- Provides long-term rehabilitation, not short-term fixes
- Returns healthy rhinos to the wild
- Helps prevent extinction of an iconic species
Rhinos are Critically Endangered
The estimated population decline:
Early 1900s: 1,000,000
1970: 70,000
2020: 27,000
Primary threats include poaching for rhino horn, habitat loss, and fragmented populations.
Rhino horn has no proven medical value, yet illegal demand continues to drive poaching.
Want to learn more about rhino rescue? Check out my Save The Rhino International blog!
How You Can Help Rhino Orphans
The Rhino Orphanage relies on public support. Ways to help include:
- One-time donations
- Monthly rhino adoption sponsorships
- Wishlist item donations
- Paid volunteer programs
- Corporate partnerships
- Funding anti-poaching and special projects
Follow The Rhino Orphanage on Social Media
Website: https://therhinoorphanage.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheRhinoOrphanage
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therhinoorphanage/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheRhinoOrphanage
$ Donate: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=HS56N2NTHXJRC
