Name: Osita, a word of Nigerian (Igbo) origin meaning 'from today onwards it will be better' | Date of Birth: 31 December 2015 | Home: Aquila Game Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa | Weight at rescue: 65 kilograms | Current weight: over 530kg – 1 Sep 2015 (and gaining around 1kg per day) | Feeds: The newborn Osita was initially given 140ml of foal milk formula seven times a day. He is now eating a variety of grasses and approx 30 litres of milk per day, starting with breakfast at 06h00. | Favourite activities: Long walks in the morning and afternoon and daily mud baths | Wake-up time: 06h00 | Bedtime: 21h00 (and many naps during the day)
Orphaned Rhino Calf
Conservation teams at Aquila have been trying desperately to separate the male rhino from the calf. An attempt to coax the male away was unsuccessful, preparations were underway to dart the male when it (the male) suddenly turned on the calf.
A desperate drama is playing out at Aquila Private Game Reserve, in the western cape, after the birth of the third baby rhino in the past 3 months. The two calves born, one in October and the other in mid-December are both thriving, but the third calf, born in the early hours of this morning (New Years Eve) is being rescued from dehydration after being rejected by its mother.