The mother rhino was butchered by poachers, authorities made five arrests

Nov 27, 2012 20:41 GMT  ·  By

Following the story of an elephant that derailed a train in order to protect its herd comes the news that a mother rhino from South Africa managed to get its calf to safety and keep poachers away from it despite the fact that it was mortally wounded itself.

The incident occurred at the Finfoot Game Reserve and gamekeepers explain that, after three or four days during which a group of poachers roamed this region, they found numerous rhino corpses, all of which were missing their horns. Sources say the mother rhino that took care of leading its calf to the reserve farm's lodge before dying was named Longhorn.

Apparently, the animal suffered a mortal wound to its abdomen and used whatever strength it had left in it to lead its calf to safety. The baby rhino is only 18 months old.

For the time being, local authorities are busy interrogating five men believed to have taken part in and/or supported this rhino hunt.