Cause Index

Zululand Conservation Trust

ZULULAND RHINO ORPHANAGE

The Zululand Rhino Orphanage was born of necessity and hope in the wake of a tragic attack on a regional rhino orphanage.
Two rhino orphans that the ZCT supported survived that brutal attack and we were faced with a decision to relocate the animals to a third party or to shoulder the responsibility of building our own orphanage.

In the firm belief that we had the capability to rise to the challenge, a team of hardworking and creative employees had a facility ready within a couple of days. Shortly thereafter two little black rhinos, Storm and Nandi, arrived at the brand-new Zululand Rhino Orphanage. Hope was born out of tragedy with Storm and Nandi’s first tentative steps into the Zululand Rhino Orphanage. Inspiration quickly transformed into hard work as the staff set to taking care of Storm and Nandi and prepared for the arrival of three more orphans.

The next three orphans were two small white rhinos, Makhosi and Isomiso, along with their baby hippo friend, Charlie. Even younger than Storm and Nandi, these three little ones required round-the-clock monitoring and feeding every 3 to 4 hours. As the staff worked long and hard hours and the orphans continued to adjust to their new home, we received a devastating call. The call was our first plea to accept an orphan, not one that had been transferred from another facility, but one whose mother had just been poached.

For six rainy, cold days this tiny calf had survived next to its poached mother. We had just opened our doors and every stall we had was already occupied. It is said that necessity is the mother of invention, and before long arrangements were made for a temporary living space for the little calf and additional animal care staff to be brought in to relieve the already overworked team at Zululand Rhino Oprhanage. The little 4-month old rhino calf proved to be a fighter and survived against the odds.

ZULULAND CONSERVATION TRUST

We are committed to the conservation of endangered species whilst maintaining and supporting partnerships with neighbouring communities.

‘If you wish to move mountains tomorrow, you must start by lifting stones today’, African Proverb.

In 2011, a group of intrepid, wildlife enthusiasts set about achieving their vision of preserving the beautiful Zululand region, the people who work so hard to thrive on it and the unique and enchanting wildlife that inhabit it.

For us, conservation is more than just an imperative; it’s a calling for a more purposeful life.

Thanks to the contributions of our generous donors, we have been able to partner with our neighbouring communities to educate, empower and uplift them through a number of successful initiatives. We have also been able to use those funds to address the plight of our endangered and helpless animals that rely on us as their only hope of survival and non-extinction.
Through these partnerships, projects and programmes, we hope to inspire others to protect and conserve our beautiful land and all its creatures, so that our children and their children’s children will still be able to marvel at it in decades to come.
But there’s still so much more we need to achieve. As a Non-Profit organisation, we rely heavily on the contributions of others and believe that through our collective efforts, we can continue to make a significant impact on society, the environment and the preservation of life itself.

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