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Meet
the Orphans – Part 2
Millie was orphaned at four months when her
mother drank from a poisoned natural water source
Millie, a young female orphan, was born in May 2008; Millie can be
identified by her small and odd shaped front horn. Millie was orphaned at
three months old on the 30th August 2008 after her mother Hada
died after drinking from a poisoned water source in the Save Valley
Conservancy.
Rhinos are very habitual creatures and will drink regularly from the same
water source. The poachers knew rhino were drinking at this particular
spring and poisoned it with cyanide. The level of toxicity was such that
birds were dying in the water. Many cattle, belonging to the nearby
villagers, also died. It was villagers looking for their cattle that found
Hada's carcass and her small three month old calf. The calf was darted and
captured that day and transported so she could be raised with the other
young rhino orphan - Blondie.
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Millie proved to be an incredibly gentle beast. Generally, before a calf has
learnt to take milk willingly they need to be physically restrained by up to
six men so the milk bottle can be forced into the calf's mouth to feed.
Millie possibly suffered slight poisoning and was very slow to take to the
bottle. Millie never required any restraint and always approached anyone
entering her pen, but for days showed no serious interest in suckling and
the milk had to be practically pumped into her mouth. She was always more
interested in physical contact than feeding and would fall asleep content
against the person patiently trying to get her to suckle. Once Millie was
taking the bottle, it was time to introduce her to Blondie as black rhinos
are sociable creatures and need company. It was not love at first sight for
Millie, who screamed at Blondie till he went back to his corner of the pen
and lay down in defeat. It was a different picture by the next day and the
two hardly let a meter of space develop between them.
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