Our ray of hope baby

Meet our very newest baby rhino, just a few hours old in this photo (19/03/2020). For us at Thanda Safari, he represents all that is positive in this time of uncertainty and fear. He indeed has a story to tell.
Ryan (Rhino Monitor) and Lorraine (Wildlife Manager) were sitting with the new rhino mom who had just given birth (totally unexpectedly!) when we saw a lioness approaching. Mum rhino was too weak to defend him at the time and so we made the decision to intervene and chase the lioness off. Thereafter followed a night of shifts; with Lorraine, Ryan, Justin, the students and members of the APU team repeatedly chasing off the determined lioness. Eventually, at dawn, mum rhino moved off into the safety of the thick bush with her baby.
Having faced disastrous odds as he entered the world and survived thus far, this baby rhino is the reason that we all do what we do. He is also the reason why we need to focus on the future of tourism and Thanda, after Covid-19, and why we must fight to protect all that we hold dear.
We cannot give in to the fear that is gripping the world. Instead, we need to plan for a renewed human need to experience the healing power of nature when this storm has passed.
Let us focus on the image of this ray of hope as we navigate our way through the next few turbulent weeks.