NAIROBI, Kenya, 2024. Meet Raha, one of the two baby black rhinos at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Nursery in Nairobi, where they keep orphaned rhinos and elephants until they are ready to be released back in the wild. We dropped by the site before the actual safari tour.
Raha was spotted fighting for her life after an attack by a cackle of hyenas. She had lost her tail and her bum was so heavily injured, it required multiple surgeries.
She loves following her caretaker around, who pours dirt on her back as protection from insects and the sun. In the wild, it’s the parents that usually do this, but because she’s orphaned and too young to do it herself, she needs someone to do it for her for now.
At the Sheldrick Nursery, visitors get to see Raha and the baby elephants take a walk and feed. It’s only open for 1 hour each day, and interactions are very limited.
Black rhinos are critically endangered and the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is one of the organizations that is dedicated to the rescue and conservation of rhinos and elephants here in Kenya.
Raha means “joy” in Swahili, which is apt because when she arrived, everyone let out a collective “aaw.” 😆