World's first rhino orphanage opens its doors

Africa's first specialist has officially opened at the Entabeni Game Reserve in Limpopo, S Africa.

This five-month-old black rhino calf is the inaugural resident of Africa s first dedicated rhino orphanage.

Located in the Limpopo province in South Africa, it gives young animals a new lease on life in a country plagued by rhino poaching.

And there was a great need for the center, says conservationist Karen Trendler.

"The poaching crises that is currently causing lots of problems in the country is producing a large number of casualties and included in those casualties are very traumatized and often injured rhino calves.

These calves need very specific handling in order for one to recover from trauma, to be reared in a way that can be healthy and viable animals and be put back into the wild."

South Africa is home to the vast majority of the planet s rhinos. The animals here are poached for their horns that are believed to have healing powers.

According to government data the total number of slaughters this year is to exceed 2011 s figure of 448 - but luckily this calf is no longer at risk of being part of that number.