I am in love at first sight!

DAY ONE: Following day I boarded the flight from Johannesburg to Phalaborwa around 10.40 AM and reached Phalaborwa around 12.00 noon and John Botha came to drive me to SanWild. I guess my frequency with John matched right away. We had a good one hour ride from airport to SanWild but on our way we discussed a lot about animal conservation and also about my reason to visit SanWild. We reached SanWild around 2.00 PM. As soon as we entered John stopped at small enclosure. I was not aware then that my interaction with the occupant of that enclosure would change my life forever. Enters “BLIKSEM a cutest soul on earth, one year old two horned baby black rhino and I was in love with him at first sight. “Oh my God”, what a privilege and honour that was. When we had an eye contact, I felt so much of comfortable with him and pleasure that he accepted me, at least for time being and allowed me to touch him. I saw abundance of love and warmth in his eyes and my eyes were wet. No one ever has and probably no one ever will touch my heart deep in first meeting as much Blicksom has. It is a real, rare honour and privilege and I had tears in my eyes with joy. After I learned from John, the history of how “Bliksem” entered into SanWild, tears started again, but these were different from earlier as it was a heart crushing story.

Bliksem's heart crushing story

Bliksem was few months old when his mummy was shot by a poacher for horns and he was left for dead under a tree. It is impossible for me to even think if my parents were to be shot and I was left outside of church/temple or just outside any place. There are many baby animals who suffer this, every second across the world and YET we keep doing this over and over. He was given to SanWild by heavenly angel in form of human. Bliksem had to live so that we could meet and I could write this for his and others in similar cause. :::: I am running tears at the moment. Every time I read to do spell check I cannot control my tears.

Viagra more powerful

(Rhinos are killed for their horns and tigers are killed for their bones and tiger penis soup. Some stupid myth in some East Asian country that Rhino horns have aphrodisiac properties and tiger penis having improved sex life; have pushed these magnificent creatures to brink of extinction. Once free roaming Rhinos & tigers are all of a sudden are running to save themselves from being wiped out from earth. What is Pharmaceutical Company Pfizer doing here? Can they not convince that “VIAGRA” has long lasting and more powerful effects than Rhino horn OR tiger penis? If all the men in these Asian countries are so worried about their potency, fertility or whatever, they bloody well be prepared for permanent loss of sex life. God forbid we don’t reach that stage but it is only matter of time that these two species will cease to exist if we don’t do something dramatic).

Is there anything more traumatizing than loosing mom to a bullet in front of your own eyes? Bliksem lost his mom to a stupid poacher. Ever since I have been here not a day goes by that I don’t have tears in eyes when I think of him and his mom. I believe in God but this humanly intervention in Bliksem's life has defied God’s Laws and rules. I hope and pray that who ever was involved in this will pay the price when the “ALMIGHTY” trials him/her in his court. I am ashamed that my fellow human being has committed a cold blooded murder. May god give lot of strength to Blicksom and peace for his mom’s soul? I have never ever felt so much for any one before, but certainly felt more so after meeting with Blicksom. Sorry my laptop keys are unable to express my emotions here and how much I feel for my baby “BLIKSEM”

I am crying as I am typing!

Can I expect more?

I moved away from Bliksem, only temporarily, after 10 minutes, as my emotions were getting uncontrollable. I once again petted him and said goodbye for the day.

After settling down, I met with Carl, a freelance video photographer from Cape Town. Carl is video shooting for a local television. Andre (Louise’s husband) came around 3.30 PM and started driving us around the sanctuary. Carl wanted to do video for Thukela elephants. Few minutes into the drive and we come across an enclosure where there was no movement for a min or two after we reached. However that enclosure suddenly came into life and out came 2 male lions, 2 lioness and 2 young cubs. I felt my life was made that moment. I’ve been given an opportunity to come face to face with one of the magnificent creations on earth, Lions. What a beauty, majestic life that it is. I was and always will be fascinated with BIG CATS (Lions, Leopards, Cheetah’s, Tigers) each one beautiful, magnificent and majestic in many own ways. That meeting was sheer silver lining. If I am asked for 3 wishes, this is one of them, granted today. I felt my life could not have been more successful and worth living, THIS IS IT. I don’t think I am going to expect any thing better or life enriching experience than this one.

Donga put me on Everest!

Although the lions were behind the electric fence, I could feel the power, right there in front of me. I made a brief eye contact with one of the male lions “DONGA” and I was feeling as if on Mount Everest. Those eyes, which can give a serious scare to many, gave me no such fear. Yes those eyes reflect the power, strength, but today I am feeling and seeing something different in those eyes” The Freedom”

It is our misconception and corrupted mind, which makes many of us, believe that wild animals are born ONLY TO KILL. Yes they kill, but for daily survival and don’t think humans are on their menu list. But go to a restaurant and you can pay and get to eat Cape buffalo meat, Bison meat, Impala meat, Ostrich meat or even a snake. So we are more lethal predators who want to satisfy our greed in many ways.

Mindless Killers

We humans take pride in saying we are more intelligent, compassionate and have ability to draw a line between GOOD & BAD. Those qualities that have been tossed out of window for greed and money. On the contrary we have used our intelligence to create ways to kill the magnificent animals and satisfy our sadistic pleasure for animal trophies.

Humans have strong feelings and can be full of vengeance. We revolt, like many did in American civil war, we fight back against evil like in case of world war I & II because we don’t tolerate brutality on fellow humans. We criticized AND/OR eliminated all dictators, we condemn all those serial killers in jail for life or to death, because they killed or are capable of killing. We the same humans have decimated Wild animal families, population. Not even once any wild animal has come back to stalk us with a feeling of revenge. Can any human give me an example that wild animals have on purpose killed humans (with exception of man eaters due to natural circumstances). I guarantee you no one can. Fact is we have caused more damage to them by way of canned hunting or trophy or sports hunting. I have never ever heard that any wild animal has retaliated in vengeance. If that is the case why are we killing them? How come all of a sudden we have lost compassion and quality of “To live and let live”. How come we use double standards to who lives and who dies? How sick a human mind is that they use guns to kill a lion/leopard kept in small cage (Canned hunting) and get the sadistic pleasure of hunting. It is nothing but disgusting and cowardly act. In this hypocrite & capitalistic society of humans, we are the mindless killers always pointing fingers at animals.

Back To Sunil's Diary