Malala
Date of Arrival: 2nd July 2021
Date of Birth:2009
Sex: Female
Family: Mother to Rupert
Malala came to the reserve in July 2021 after the reserve she was on was badly hit by poachers, losing 9 rhinos in a week. Upon translocation of Malala, it was found that she had also been shot, a through and through bullet that missed her spine by 1cm. Malala and her 6-month-old calf were loaded and then transported to keep them out of harms way. However, the trauma of the shooting and the translocation had made Malala quite angry. Upon release she charged the container truck, which meant her calf, Rupert, could not see her and so ran off in the opposite direction. Malala and Rupert became separated for 5 days until we managed to dart them and take them to a boma site near by for observation. Upon a release for the second time, they became separated again, causing a third darting for the pair in which Rupert was loaded on a truck and driven to his mothers’ side. Since then, the pair have been inseparable.
Malala is quite a relaxed mother, and she allows Rupert to play and interact with other young rhino in full knowledge that he will never stray too far. But don’t let her calm and carefree nature fool you, Malala will not take nonsense and regularly tells off the sub adults for getting too close or behaving badly. She is a mother to all, and no one pushes her around.
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