In Loving Memory of Reine & Magen
Friday, January 8, 2021
It is with broken hearts that Endangered Rhino Conservation is saddened to share with you the news that Reine and her baby, Magen (“Maggie”), were killed by poachers as they slept in the early morning hours of Sunday, January 1st. What little was left of Reine’s horn, which had previously been removed with the hope that doing so would spare her life, was savagely taken, as was Maggie’s who was only 6-months-old and had no horn to speak of. The senseless and cruel killing of two of our beloved rhinos has left us reeling with shock and grief.
Reine was the most dedicated mother. We still remember when she was born 10 years ago; that is how long she has been a part of our lives. In 2014 she narrowly escaped poachers when they shot and killed Winnie who was standing right next to her. She was traumatized for months but slowly recovered and gave us a beautiful calf, Storm. We were elated when it was discovered that Reine was pregnant again and were overjoyed when Magen, a beautiful female calf, was born. We all adored Magen who affectionately became to be known as “Maggie.” She was full of life, inquisitive, and tended to bounce around rather than walk. They were last seen on New Year’s Eve peacefully grazing in the setting sun, blessingly unaware of the horror that laid ahead for them.
After finding Reine and Magen deceased, our first concern was locating the remaining rhinos in our herd to make sure they were uninjured. Within an hour, Tokkie of Flying for Freedom was onsite, arranged by Nico of Rhino911, with a helicopter and 2 fixed-wing airplanes. The wonderful people in these organizations to whom we will forever be grateful searched the reserve for hours trying to locate each and every one of our rhinos. Eventually they were all found, but sadly, Luke, our dominant bull, had a very bad limp and was discovered on Wednesday after being darted from a helicopter to have been shot. The bullet passed through his shoulders and caused extremely tissue and muscle damage. To see a strong, regal bull brought to his knees in pain was gut wrenching. However, Luke was passionately treated (and will continue to be) by Dr. Gerhardus Scheepers of Zodiac Dierekliniek who is hopeful that he will make a full recovery. Luke’s wounds are being monitored closely, and he is being kept under a 24-hour vigil while he remains vulnerable by Jimmy, Casey, Chloe, Sue and Geoff, members of the ERC family to whom we also owe a great big thank you for taking shifts.
Needless to say, feelings of complete and utter despair and sadness have engulfed the ERC family. We had managed to keep our rhino safe for 6 years by dehorning and by establishing anti-poaching teams who have watched tirelessly over our herd during endless hours of patrol. Most of our staff even elected to work through the holidays to assist in keeping our rhino safe — all to no avail. There are simply no words to express our grief.
However, while we may be broken, we are not defeated as this 12 year fight becomes a war with the demand for rhino horn being so high that syndicates are now targeting the growth plate — the tiny horn stub left behind after humane dehorning. We know what has to be done, and we have a plan. With a lot of hard work and your help, we are determined to keep the surviving rhino safe. It is going to be a massive project, but we must do what it takes to carry on and to keep our promise of life to the rhino. They need us and you more than ever. Please join us on the battlefield!
DONATE IN MEMORY OF REINE & MAGEN
Endangered Rhino Conservation (ERC) is a registered US 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with operations in South Africa. Your donation to ERC is tax-deductible in the United States. ERC’s tax ID number is 83-1313041.
Rest in peace our beloved Reine and Maggie.
We promise that your deaths will count for something.
Rest in peace our beloved Reine and Maggie. We promise that your deaths will count for something.
Click on the images below to enlarge.
Reine
Date of Birth: 23rd March 2010
Date of Death: 1st January 2021
Sex: Female
Family: Daughter of Nkombi, mother to Storm and Magen
Reine was born on the reserve and was named by a student, Amy, who discovered her at only a few hours old. Reine is the former leader of the beloved “Naughty 6”, a herd of rhino that stayed together and acted quite cheeky.
She became a first-time mother to Storm, born 6 April 2017. Before the tragic poaching incident and motherhood, Reine was part of a group referred to as the “three girls” – Winnie, Reine and Jodi. Reine is a very protective mother but does let her young explore. Like Mish, she appears to have bigger gaps between young, but this may be because Storm was her first offspring.
Reine gave birth to her second baby, Magen, on 11 April 2020. Our heart skipped a beat when she disappeared prior but she showed up a few weeks later to show us her bouncing baby girl.
Reine
Date of Birth: 23rd March 2010
Date of Death: 1st January 2021
Sex: Female
Family: Daughter of Nkombi, mother to Storm and Magen
Reine was born on the reserve and was named by a student, Amy, who discovered her at only a few hours old. Reine is the former leader of the beloved “Naughty 6”, a herd of rhino that stayed together and acted quite cheeky.
She became a first-time mother to Storm, born 6 April 2017. Before the tragic poaching incident and motherhood, Reine was part of a group referred to as the “three girls” – Winnie, Reine and Jodi. Reine is a very protective mother but does let her young explore. Like Mish, she appears to have bigger gaps between young, but this may be because Storm was her first offspring.
Reine gave birth to her second baby, Magen, on 11 April 2020. Our heart skipped a beat when she disappeared prior but she showed up a few weeks later to show us her bouncing baby girl.
Click on the images below to enlarge.
Magen
Date of Birth: 12th June 2020
Date of Death: 1st January 2021
Sex: Female
Family: Daughter of Reine, granddaughter of Nkombi, sibling to Storm
Our newest baby rhino is born! Magen is an inquisitive little female who likes to constantly imitate her mother Reine. Reine likes to spend the heat of the day at the various rhino spas, having mud baths and rubbing on the rubbing posts. Magen is quickly learning that this is how female rhinos spend their leisure time and is becoming quite a little diva. She is still wary of the other animals on the reserve and stays very close to Mum.
Magen is named by Africa 360 Travel clients, Andy and Anne Hemmert, after Magen’s Bay in beautiful St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, where Andy and Anne live. Their generous donation will ensure Magen’s ongoing protection.
Reine was overly protective of Magen in her first month but is now starting to venture out and show her off to the other rhino and to us.
Magen
Date of Birth: 12th June 2020
Date of Death: 1st January 2021
Sex: Female
Family: Daughter of Reine, granddaughter of Nkombi, sibling to Storm
Our newest baby rhino is born! Magen is an inquisitive little female who likes to constantly imitate her mother Reine. Reine likes to spend the heat of the day at the various rhino spas, having mud baths and rubbing on the rubbing posts. Magen is quickly learning that this is how female rhinos spend their leisure time and is becoming quite a little diva. She is still wary of the other animals on the reserve and stays very close to Mum.
Magen is named by Africa 360 Travel clients, Andy and Anne Hemmert, after Magen’s Bay in beautiful St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, where Andy and Anne live. Their generous donation will ensure Magen’s ongoing protection.
Reine was overly protective of Magen in her first month but is now starting to venture out and show her off to the other rhino and to us.