Rhino Arrival

Cody's little meerkat runt is not doing well. A couple of days ago we began gently force-feeding it, and it seems to make a huge difference in how much it shakes and cries, leading us to think it's starving for whatever reason. However, today, in spite of food and water, it's again doing worse. I'm afraid the little meerkat is just not going to make it. The only consolation is knowing that it would have already in the wild died weeks ago.

We spent Thursday finishing up the painting of the kitchen lapa. For some reason I was just worthless with all that (just couldn't seem to manage to paint inside the lines!), so instead I spent a few hours putting the new garden plants Louise had bought into the huge urns which will decorate the kitchen's patio/bar and living areas. They all really do look wonderful!

This morning Karen Trendler arrived with a rescued wounded six-month-old white rhino. The wound-tending, the unloading of the crate, the coaxing him out and across the small boma area (the same area and stall where two years ago Susanne and I took care of the three infant brown hyenas!) into a stall filled with straw and warm lights all was done with extreme quiet, patience and calmness. What I wasn't prepared for was the plaintive high-pitched little wail it kept emitting! What a sad little cry from such a big baby! It confirmed just how young, helpless and frightened this fragile creature is in spite of its size and appearance. John will be living with him for the foreseeable future, ensuring his safety and comfort and bonding. It is truly a lucky little guy to have landed in such a loving, safe home.

After dinner this evening I had a chance to sit and talk with Karen. My thoughts about what a wonderful lady she is were confirmed. We chatted about all kinds of things from "compassion fatigue" to the Thuli elephants rescue to both our plans for the future. I was so glad to finally meet her as I'd very much wanted to ever since the last time I was here.

Today is my last full day at SanWild. I know a couple (James and Janine Varden) in Zimbabwe who have custody of a confiscated farm and the attached "protected" area of land where they are desperately trying to hold on as they are all that stands protecting the farmhouse and land and animals from being vandalized and annihilated. I fly out tomorrow to spend the last couple of weeks I have in Africa seeing if I can help them out. It will be quite an adventure to be in a country to teetering on the brink of collapse.

My visit here has just confirmed that, at least for me (and I suspect for many) SanWild is the most perfect spot in the world. The diversity of the land, the beauty of it, coupled with the incredible abundance of content, safe wildlife makes this place one of the most special places on Earth. I'm extremely saddened by the fact that I haven't seen Kariba for three days.....the only days since I arrived. However, I know it means she's spending time with the other giraffes, and that makes my soul smile for her. All I ever really wanted for her was to lead a natural, free and safe life. Before I arrived, I had heard about her spending so much time hanging around the office and spending only a tiny bit of time with the other giraffes. I had a really hard time reconciling that with her being a happy giraffe. However, being here and watching her and interacting with her again, there is now no doubt in my mind that she is a very, very happy and content animal. I also have seen the beautiful creatures the brown hyena cubs have become and know they're soon to be released into the open farm. I feel such a deep satisfaction in these babies I tended two years ago now fulfilling their destinies.
 

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