Last September, a field guide in South Africa noticed a white rhinoceros lagging behind the rest of her group. A lethargic or immobile rhino is often in distress, so the guide got out their binoculars.

Timbavati Nature Reserve

Looking closer, the guide saw something wrapped around the rhino’s hind leg.

Close-up image of a rhino's foot with a wire snare wrapped around it.Timbavati Nature Reserve

This type of entanglement could turn deadly if it hinders a rhino’s ability to move. Not only would it make grazing and following food sources difficult, but it would also continue to separate a social animal from her group.

The guide radioed the Timbavati Nature Reserve for help. Coordinating with the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency and a wildlife vet, the group set off in a helicopter to help the ailing animal.

A female white rhino sits in the grass alone.Timbavati Nature Reserve

“When our team arrived, it was clear she was in a difficult situation,” Edwin Pierce, warden of the Timbavati Nature Reserve, told The Dodo. “The wire had tightened around her leg and midsection, likely over several hours or even days, restricting her movement and causing visible discomfort.”

After successfully darting and sedating the rhino, the team carefully inspected her.

A team of medics examines a sedated white rhino in the field.Timbavati Nature Reserve

It turned out to be a sharp piece of galvanized wire wrapped around the rhino’s leg and body. Pierce guessed the wire came from either a fence or a snare.

“Over time, these remnants of human activity can become hidden hazards,” Pierce said. “Rhinos are large, powerful animals that often brush through thick vegetation, and it’s easy for a loose strand of wire to loop around a leg or body and tighten as the animal moves.”

A field guide holds up wire snare cut from a rhino's foot.Timbavati Nature Reserve

Miraculously, the rhino had no visible injuries or cuts. The team removed the wire gently with bolt cutters.

Timbavati Nature Reserve

Minutes later, the rhino woke up, free of the dangerous wire that had slowed her down.

“She lifted her head, looked around, and then slowly stood up,” Pierce said. “After a brief pause, she trotted off and rejoined the other three rhinos, as if nothing had happened.”

A white rhinoceros walking through a grassy plain.Manuel ROMARIS/Getty Images

Pierce added that rescues like this remind him that “even well-intentioned materials, if left behind, can pose a serious risk to wildlife.”

Baby Elephant’s Trunk Looks Strange, Then Rescuer Realizes The Scary TruthBaby Elephant’s Trunk Looks Strange, Then Rescuer Realizes The Scary TruthShe’s going to make a full recovery 🥹