In the early hours of Sunday morning, a precious little life came into the world. Rubybelle, one of Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary’s most beloved rescues, delivered her very first calf!
Nelspruit, Mpumalanga (19 August 2025) – Once the team was sure both mother and baby were doing well, they shared the joyful news: Ruby, the rhino orphan who once fought for her life, is now a mom.
The healthy little bull calf is already under the watchful care of his fiercely protective mama.
Ruby’s story began almost a decade ago in heartbreak. Back in August 2017, she was only four weeks old when her mother was gunned down by poachers in the Sabi Sands. Alone and terrified, Ruby was spotted running through the veld as lions closed in. It was a race against time.
“As the team searched for the poachers, their thermal imaging revealed a tiny calf running through the veld, with lions closing in,” writes Care for Wild.
A helicopter team led by pilot Dave Powrie and veterinarian Dr Ferreira du Plessis intervened in the nick of time. Ruby was darted for her safety and flown out, sleeping soundly on caring laps as they rushed her to the sanctuary.
At just 92kg, she was admitted straight into intensive care, fragile but alive.
It wasn’t long before Ruby found comfort in friendship. She was introduced to fellow orphans Khanya and Rose, and later Fern, forming a close-knit crash that would grow up together in rehabilitation.
With round-the-clock care and the safety of Care for Wild’s protection zone, Ruby began to heal.
Now, almost eight years later, Ruby’s story has come full circle. From a vulnerable calf who nearly didn’t survive, she has become a mom herself.
The sanctuary celebrated the new life, thanking those who have supported Ruby along the way. For the team who watched Ruby grow from a frightened orphan into a confident adult, the birth of her calf is wonderful news.
Not just for her, but for the future of her species.
“Thank you so so much to those who have supported Rubybelle since she arrived as a small orphan. Successes such as these would not be possible without love and support,” says Ruby’s carers.
Even the most fragile beginnings can grow into new life!
Sources: Linked above
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