Spirit Wildlife Foundation

As usual, November in the bush lived up to our expectations!

The days are long, hot and extremely humid. Temperatures reach 25 degrees celsius by 08:00 / 09:00 in the morning. The veld is full of snakes, scorpions, ticks and mosquitoes. By late afternoon the building storm clouds offer some relief from the scorching sun but the air remains sticky. As night closes in, the rain begins to fall, pelting the earth and clattering the night-open roofs in the bomas. By the morning, a pleasant coolness fills the air. The grasses and trees are neon green and incredibly appetising. Mud pools have formed all over Care for Wild and the rhinos begin to walk, play and eat whilst it’s still cool enough to do so. The abundance of natural grazing has seen a large reduction in the need for supplementary food such as teff and lucerne, especially for the released rhinos in the reserve. But sudden changes to diet can cause colic and diarrhoea which can be particularly dangerous. In addition, recently released rhinos like Grey, Spirit, Jemu and Lilli are at a higher risk of complications as they adapt to their new environment. Petronel and the Rhino Monitors must keep a close watch over these rhinos for any signs of weight loss, drops in condition, or stress.