Aquila Rhinos

At a time when greed, poaching and butchery have reduced South Africa’s rhino population by an average of about one animal a day over the past year, the birth of a calf in the Western Cape is an event to be recorded and celebrated.

The calf was born at Aquila Game Reserve, near Touws River and mother and baby are both doing very well. The calf is the third rhino born at Aquila.

The birth was announced as the loss of the first Western Cape rhino to poachers was recorded at a game reserve near Mossel Bay.

Aquila owner Searl Derman revealed a couple of weeks ago that he believed that poachers using a helicopter were targeting the reserve’s six rhino.

One night at the end of last year a helicopter flew very low over the reserve, making two passes with 15-minute intervals and then disappeared. The chopper’s lights were off, except for one small red light which could be seen, so it was assumed the chopper must have been using night vision equipment.

This appears to have been part of the modus operandi of the butchers who have slaughtered more than 300 rhino in the northern provinces of South Africa. They kill the animals for their horns which are believed by idiots to have medicinal qualities. Some veterinary surgeons have been linked to the slaughter.

Derman says he has taken measures to keep his herd of rhino safe. Derman stated that although he did not want to share too much detail on the measures taken to secure the rhino, these did include a 24-hour elite team of anti-poaching security staff with specialised equipment.

Just over two hours by road from Cape Town, Aquila is also home to the rest of the Big 5.

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