in July of 2014
my whole life changed
the first rhino
was poached here at Rockwood and it was
a very very emotional experience firstly
because we always thought you know this
is such a secure area it was the first
Rhino poached in the whole of the
Northern Cape province you know standing
next to that animal after you know
embracing that animal caring for it and
to see you know how it was butchered
really touched me it really hit us hard
when you work with us animals you create
the bond you you love them so seeing
something like that happened to those
animals I mean it's not nice it's it's
really sad in June 2015 the second
poaching incident occurred here at Rockwood
fortunately also the last and a poacher
came in and shot the most beautiful cow
it was in the first year
when I just started working here as a
field ranger so one of one of the guys
was in the tower and he just heard shots
coming from the boma and he he just got
on the radio and called for backup but
when a security got there the guys were
gone and sadly we lost a rhino in
the process but we have its calf which
actually survived because it also took a
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but
it's fine now that was probably the
second biggest emotional moment of my
life
but the calf with the bullet wound and
the bullet still lodged in its head
survived we treated it and
the guys gave it the name of Survivor
that calf is now a sub-adult bull of
about five years old and quite a
majestic and beautiful animal
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I think you know his life is is a
testament of what we're trying to
achieve here
against all odds you can make a
difference if you if you hang in there
and you work hard you can make a
difference you can actually live and
make a change
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seeing that Rhino bull laying there it
was not nice it was sad I was a little
bit scared but it just gave me more
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keep on doing what I'm doing
to protect these animals you know
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