Rocky and Anne's Story
Rocky and Anne's Story
Humani Ranch, Save Valley Conservancy, June 2025
Rocky is a beloved and integral member of the Humani family. Having been abandoned by his mother and getting stuck in the mud by a pan in the Savé Valley Conservancy, Rocky was rescued and raised on Humani ranch and released into the wild again. Here's the story of his rescue, a humbling and inspiring story of conservation in action and the true meaning of being a custodian of wildlife.
Rocky is a beloved and integral member of the Humani family. Having been abandoned by his mother and getting stuck in the mud by a pan in the Savé Valley Conservancy, Rocky was rescued and raised on Humani ranch and released into the wild again. Here's the story of his rescue, a humbling and inspiring story of conservation in action and the true meaning of being a custodian of wildlife.
However, with quick action from ATS, the right people were notified to come and help the calf. Wildlife veterinarians, Jackie and Josh Mostert, were called to the scene and eagerly helped in retrieving the rhino and treating him. Our very own Anne Whittall was also called to the scene, taking along what she could to help the calf. She described him as looking "grey, grey, grey, almost white" and in dire need of water and a glucose solution to boost his energy levels.
Fortunately, the little guy pulled through this initial phase of the operation and was taken back to Anne's house on Humani for the next few days to recuperate before the first attempt at reuniting him with his mother. Keeping him warm and fed was essential. Anne recalls having to feed him and monitor his urine every 3 hours for the time he was at the homestead. This period was crucial in ensuring the calf was strong enough to keep up with his mother in the bush.
On a cool winter's day in the Savé Valley Conservancy, the tracking team from ATS (Anti-poaching Tracking Services), found a small, cold rhino calf in the thickest of mud whilst on patrol. Sticky and deep, the calf couldn't get out and was abandoned by his mother before the team arrived. In the case of the Black rhino, muddy pans can become extremely dangerous, even for adult animals. If attempts to free the calf are unsuccessful, the risk of the mother also becoming trapped or attracting predators increases significantly.
In such circumstances, natural selection favours the survival of the mother, as this preserves her ability to reproduce in the future, even though the immediate outcome and instinct to abandon its calf is tragic.
The image below on the left is of Rocky when ATS found him in the mud.
After about 9 days of nursing the calf back to full strength, he was finally ready to see his mother again. Throughout this period, the ATS team were keeping a close eye on the mother, having tracked her and identified her as the calf's mother. With new recruits working with more experienced rangers, the operation was a fantastic way to train the new recruits for a rare occasion like this.
With the help of experience helicopter pilots, the team managed to dart the mother and bring the operation on the ground. We brought Rocky to the location and commenced the process of reuniting the two.
Rocky was given a transmitter to assist the tracking team in monitoring their duo's movements over the next crucial days. Because the mother had already abandoned her calf, and because it took a good few days to get Rocky strong enough, there were concerns that she may not recognise or accept her calf again. We looked on in hope on a "bitter sweet moment" as described by Jackie.
Unfortunately, the mother did not accept Rocky and abandoned him again, even after the team took other approaches on reuniting the two. This is unsurprising in the animal kingdom, but was a blow nonetheless. The decision was made that Anne would looked after the little guy until he was old enough and strong enough to be released into the wild again.
This saw months of hard work, feeding Rocky every 3 hours and keeping him in good company at all times. Anne was accompanied by Jackie and Josh, as well as other helpful people in the Humani and Roger Whittall Safaris community. After a while, Rocky was old enough to be in his own 'pen' over night, with a tracker with him at all times. He started gaining more independence and roaming HQ. It was always a pleasant surprise for our clients on their safari to bump into him, see him with Anne, and joining the family with their rhino friend at afternoon tea.
Moreover exploring the ranch and the lands, Rocky took particular pleasure in exploring Roger and Anne's house. Waking up from an afternoon nap to Rocky relaxing in the living room became a new normal. This became particularly tricking when Rocky grew to the size of a small car.
After Rocky was weened off milk, Anne was advised to pair him with a goat who could teach him which plants were food, and other survival skills he'd have learned from his mother. Previously, when Anne was raising Jimmy the rhino, she'd paired him with a young cow. However, when Jimmy grew up and got more boisterous he would knock the cow around and be a bit too rough in his play. So for Rocky, Anne paired him with a goat who would be more nimble and could easily move around Rocky without getting hurt.
Anne recalled a particularly fond memory of Esther playing 'ballet', standing on Rocky's back to reach the leaves that were too high for her to reach on her own. It's not everyday you see a goat catching a lift on the back of a rhino!
So Rocky's days then would be full of adventure, spending the days roaming the ranch with Esther the goat and a tracker who would ensure his safety. As he grew older, he would roam further, slowly gaining more and more independence from Anne and slowly being reintroduced into the wild. He would still, however, often pop in at the afternoon tea table in case of any chance of a citrusy snack! He became a true menace for Richard and Mark, breaking into the citrus to munch on some oranges and grapefruits, the farm workers to wary of Rocky to chase him off.
Rocky is now almost 6 years old and, although still very much a part of the family, is seen rarely. You may have some luck running into him on a game-drive, but he has immersed himself in the wild making him an inspiring and successful conservation story, a legend.
Over the years he has run into other rhinos, quickly learning where he stands in the pecking order and learning the essential social and survival skills of his kind. Jackie and Josh were called once or twice to help patch him up, but he is well and strong now.
At this age, Rocky should be looking for a female as he reaches maturity. We're keeping our eye out for a 'Rockette'!
We would like to thank everyone involved in the rescuing and raising of Rocky the rhino. From the quick responses of ATS, to the support and logistics from the Savé Valley Conservancy, and the excellent veterinarian work from Jackie and Josh. We commend you for your work and commitment to wildlife conservation.
Keep the dream alive!
Roger Whittall Safaris, April 2026
On a cool winter's day in the Savé Valley Conservancy, the tracking team from ATS (Anti-poaching Tracking Services), found a small, cold rhino calf in the thickest of mud whilst on patrol. Sticky and deep, the calf couldn't get out and was abandoned by his mother before the team arrived. In the case of the Black rhino, muddy pans can become extremely dangerous, even for adult animals. If attempts to free the calf are unsuccessful, the risk of the mother also becoming trapped or attracting predators increases significantly. In such circumstances, natural selection favours the survival of the mother, as this preserves her ability to reproduce in the future, even though the immediate outcome and instinct to abandon its calf is tragic.
The image below on the left is of Rocky when ATS found him in the mud.
On a cool winter's day in the Savé Valley Conservancy, the tracking team from ATS (Anti-poaching Tracking Services), found a small, cold rhino calf in the thickest of mud whilst on patrol. Sticky and deep, the calf couldn't get out and was abandoned by his mother before the team arrived. In the case of the Black rhino, muddy pans can become extremely dangerous, even for adult animals. If attempts to free the calf are unsuccessful, the risk of the mother also becoming trapped or attracting predators increases significantly. In such circumstances, natural selection favours the survival of the mother, as this preserves her ability to reproduce in the future, even though the immediate outcome and instinct to abandon its calf is tragic.
The image below on the left is of Rocky when ATS found him in the mud.
However, with quick action from ATS, the right people were notified to come and help the calf. Wildlife veterinarians, Jackie and Josh Mostert, were called to the scene and eagerly helped in retrieving the rhino and treating him. Our very own Anne Whittall was also called to the scene, taking along what she could to help the calf. She described him as looking "grey, grey, grey, almost white" and in dire need of water and a glucose solution to boost his energy levels.
Fortunately, the little guy pulled through this initial phase of the operation and was taken back to Anne's house on Humani for the next few days to recuperate before the first attempt at reuniting him with his mother. Keeping him warm and fed was essential. Anne recalls having to feed him and monitor his urine every 3 hours for the time he was at the homestead. This period was crucial in ensuring the calf was strong enough to keep up with his mother in the bush.
However, with quick action from ATS, the right people were notified to come and help the calf. Wildlife veterinarians, Jackie and Josh Mostert, were called to the scene and eagerly helped in retrieving the rhino and treating him. Our very own Anne Whittall was also called to the scene, taking along what she could to help the calf. She described him as looking "grey, grey, grey, almost white" and in dire need of water and a glucose solution to boost his energy levels.
Fortunately, the little guy pulled through this initial phase of the operation and was taken back to Anne's house on Humani for the next few days to recuperate before the first attempt at reuniting him with his mother. Keeping him warm and fed was essential. Anne recalls having to feed him and monitor his urine every 3 hours for the time he was at the homestead. This period was crucial in ensuring the calf was strong enough to keep up with his mother in the bush.
After about 9 days of nursing the calf back to full strength, he was finally ready to see his mother again. Throughout this period, the ATS team were keeping a close eye on the mother, having tracked her and identified her as the calf's mother. With new recruits working with more experienced rangers, the operation was a fantastic way to train the new recruits for a rare occasion like this.
With the help of experience helicopter pilots, the team managed to dart the mother and bring the operation on the ground. We brought Rocky to the location and commenced the process of reuniting the two.
After about 9 days of nursing the calf back to full strength, he was finally ready to see his mother again. Throughout this period, the ATS team were keeping a close eye on the mother, having tracked her and identified her as the calf's mother. With new recruits working with more experienced rangers, the operation was a fantastic way to train the new recruits for a rare occasion like this.
With the help of experience helicopter pilots, the team managed to dart the mother and bring the operation on the ground. We brought Rocky to the location and commenced the process of reuniting the two.
Rocky was given a transmitter to assist the tracking team in monitoring their duo's movements over the next crucial days. Because the mother had already abandoned her calf, and because it took a good few days to get Rocky strong enough, there were concerns that she may not recognise or accept her calf again. We looked on in hope on a "bitter sweet moment" as described by Jackie.
Unfortunately, the mother did not accept Rocky and abandoned him again, even after the team took other approaches on reuniting the two. This is unsurprising in the animal kingdom, but was a blow nonetheless. The decision was made that Anne would looked after the little guy until he was old enough and strong enough to be released into the wild again.
Rocky was given a transmitter to assist the tracking team in monitoring their duo's movements over the next crucial days. Because the mother had already abandoned her calf, and because it took a good few days to get Rocky strong enough, there were concerns that she may not recognise or accept her calf again. We looked on in hope on a "bitter sweet moment" as described by Jackie.
Unfortunately, the mother did not accept Rocky and abandoned him again, even after the team took other approaches on reuniting the two. This is unsurprising in the animal kingdom, but was a blow nonetheless. The decision was made that Anne would looked after the little guy until he was old enough and strong enough to be released into the wild again.
This saw months of hard work, feeding Rocky every 3 hours and keeping him in good company at all times. Anne was accompanied by Jackie and Josh, as well as other helpful people in the Humani and Roger Whittall Safaris community. After a while, Rocky was old enough to be in his own 'pen' over night, with a tracker with him at all times. He started gaining more independence and roaming HQ. It was always a pleasant surprise for our clients on their safari to bump into him, see him with Anne, and joining the family with their rhino friend at afternoon tea.
Moreover exploring the ranch and the lands, Rocky took particular pleasure in exploring Roger and Anne's house. Waking up from an afternoon nap to Rocky relaxing in the living room became a new normal. This became particularly tricking when Rocky grew to the size of a small car.
This saw months of hard work, feeding Rocky every 3 hours and keeping him in good company at all times. Anne was accompanied by Jackie and Josh, as well as other helpful people in the Humani and Roger Whittall Safaris community. After a while, Rocky was old enough to be in his own 'pen' over night, with a tracker with him at all times. He started gaining more independence and roaming HQ. It was always a pleasant surprise for our clients on their safari to bump into him, see him with Anne, and joining the family with their rhino friend at afternoon tea.
Moreover exploring the ranch and the lands, Rocky took particular pleasure in exploring Roger and Anne's house. Waking up from an afternoon nap to Rocky relaxing in the living room became a new normal. This became particularly tricking when Rocky grew to the size of a small car.
After Rocky was weened off milk, Anne was advised to pair him with a goat who could teach him which plants were food, and other survival skills he'd have learned from his mother. Previously, when Anne was raising Jimmy the rhino, she'd paired him with a young cow. However, when Jimmy grew up and got more boisterous he would knock the cow around and be a bit too rough in his play. So for Rocky, Anne paired him with a goat who would be more nimble and could easily move around Rocky without getting hurt.
After Rocky was weened off milk, Anne was advised to pair him with a goat who could teach him which plants were food, and other survival skills he'd have learned from his mother. Previously, when Anne was raising Jimmy the rhino, she'd paired him with a young cow. However, when Jimmy grew up and got more boisterous he would knock the cow around and be a bit too rough in his play. So for Rocky, Anne paired him with a goat who would be more nimble and could easily move around Rocky without getting hurt.
Anne recalled a particularly fond memory of Esther playing 'ballet', standing on Rocky's back to reach the leaves that were too high for her to reach on her own. It's not everyday you see a goat catching a lift on the back of a rhino!
So Rocky's days then would be full of adventure, spending the days roaming the ranch with Esther the goat and a tracker who would ensure his safety. As he grew older, he would roam further, slowly gaining more and more independence from Anne and slowly being reintroduced into the wild. He would still, however, often pop in at the afternoon tea table in case of any chance of a citrusy snack! He became a true menace for Richard and Mark, breaking into the citrus to munch on some oranges and grapefruits, the farm workers to wary of Rocky to chase him off.
Anne recalled a particularly fond memory of Esther playing 'ballet', standing on Rocky's back to reach the leaves that were too high for her to reach on her own. It's not everyday you see a goat catching a lift on the back of a rhino!
So Rocky's days then would be full of adventure, spending the days roaming the ranch with Esther the goat and a tracker who would ensure his safety. As he grew older, he would roam further, slowly gaining more and more independence from Anne and slowly being reintroduced into the wild. He would still, however, often pop in at the afternoon tea table in case of any chance of a citrusy snack! He became a true menace for Richard and Mark, breaking into the citrus to munch on some oranges and grapefruits, the farm workers to wary of Rocky to chase him off.
Rocky is now almost 6 years old and, although still very much a part of the family, is seen rarely. You may have some luck running into him on a game-drive, but he has immersed himself in the wild making him an inspiring and successful conservation story, a legend.
Over the years he has run into other rhinos, quickly learning where he stands in the pecking order and learning the essential social and survival skills of his kind. Jackie and Josh were called once or twice to help patch him up, but he is well and strong now.
At this age, Rocky should be looking for a female as he reaches maturity. We're keeping our eye out for a 'Rockette'!
Rocky is now almost 6 years old and, although still very much a part of the family, is seen rarely. You may have some luck running into him on a game-drive, but he has immersed himself in the wild making him an inspiring and successful conservation story, a legend.
Over the years he has run into other rhinos, quickly learning where he stands in the pecking order and learning the essential social and survival skills of his kind. Jackie and Josh were called once or twice to help patch him up, but he is well and strong now.
At this age, Rocky should be looking for a female as he reaches maturity. We're keeping our eye out for a 'Rockette'!
We would like to thank everyone involved in the rescuing and raising of Rocky the rhino. From the quick responses of ATS, to the support and logistics from the Savé Valley Conservancy, and the excellent veterinarian work from Jackie and Josh. We commend you for your work and commitment to wildlife conservation.
Keep the dream alive!
We would like to thank everyone involved in the rescuing and raising of Rocky the rhino. From the quick responses of ATS, to the support and logistics from the Savé Valley Conservancy, and the excellent veterinarian work from Jackie and Josh. We commend you for your work and commitment to wildlife conservation.
Keep the dream alive!
Roger Whittall Safaris, April 2026
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