Key Takeaways
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Park rangers discovered a 1-day-old premature rhino calf alone in Tsavo West National Park on September 6, 2023.
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The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust rehabilitated the rhino, overcoming his early health and nutritional challenges at the Kaluku Neonate Nursery.
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Now 3 years old, the rhino lives happily alongside his caretakers, two orphaned ostrich chicks, and another rescued black rhino.
From vulnerable newborn to thriving calf
On September 6, 2023, a premature rhino calf was discovered entirely alone in Kenya’s Tsavo West National Park. Park rangers from the Tsavo Trust and Kenya Wildlife Service located the infant, estimating he was merely 1 day old.
Representatives from the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust emphasized how fortunate the discovery was. “It was a miracle that hyenas, jackals, or other predators hadn’t already snatched him,” the organization stated. Because his mother was missing, the calf was rapidly deteriorating. “He had obviously been on his own for a significant time, as he had started to become hypoglycemic and shaky. It was clear — without sustenance and rapid attention, he would die.”
The infant was immediately transferred to the Kaluku Neonate Nursery within the Tsavo ecosystem, where the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust focuses on rehabilitating orphaned wildlife. “He was just a day old when he was rescued, so for all intents and purposes, we are the only family he has ever known,” the rescue group noted.
Overcoming early hurdles and making new friends
Naming the young rhino Chamboi, caretakers worked tirelessly to address his early health challenges. Missing vital colostrum from his mother, he experienced digestive issues until his molars developed, allowing him to consume leafy greens and gain necessary weight.
Sheldrick Wildlife Trust CEO Angela Sheldrick observed his joyous recovery and energetic movements. “His preferred gait is a skip — he seems to levitate as he races his keepers through the bush,” Sheldrick wrote. She also noted his deep affection for his caretakers, sharing, “Chamboi’s favorite place to sleep is by his keepers’ sides, his eyes closed in bliss as they rub his tummy.”
Like many rhinos, Chamboi finds comfort in strict routines, particularly regarding his favorite cherry red woollen blanket. “He is obsessed with one particular blanket — a woollen, cherry red number — and flatly refuses to wear anything else. Tsavo can get very hot, but infant rhinos are fragile, much like elephants, and need to be shielded from even the slightest chill in the air.”
During his first year, Chamboi formed a unique bond with two orphaned ostrich chicks named Bam and Boozle. “Bam and Boozle immediately took a shine to Chamboi. He had very little say in the matter; they simply started following him from sunup to sundown!” Sheldrick recounted.
The nursery also houses another orphaned black rhino named Raha, giving Chamboi a companion of his own species. When they both reach 5 years of age, the pair will begin a gradual transition into a protected nature reserve. For now, the 3-year-old rhino continues to enjoy a peaceful life surrounded by his adoptive sanctuary family. “To know a baby rhino is to fall in love with them,” Sheldrick reflected.
