Tala Game Reserve is mourning the loss of its only white rhino bull, an 18-year-old named Tyson, who tragically drowned after slipping off a dam wall near Camperdown on Monday.
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According to a Facebook post by Rave Rhino and Wildlife Project NPC, their team of rhino minders and volunteers attempted to rescue the two-ton rhino from the water, but Tyson unfortunately passed away before they could save him.
On Tuesday, SAPS PMB Search and Rescue Members, along with PAWZ Africa and Rave Rhino volunteers, respectfully removed Tyson from the dam and relocated him to his final resting place. The NPC expressed gratitude to everyone involved in the effort, thanking them for their respect and support during this difficult time.
‘Huge thank you to these members for treating him with utmost respect and getting him safely out, also the emotional support you gave to us all. Thank you to our supporters for always being there for us, to our members and rhino minders we are truly grateful for always being there and our hearts go out to you at this sorrowful time,’ the statement read.
The message ended with a heartfelt tribute to Tyson, calling him ‘a true legend to his species’.
As reported by ECR, Tyson was the reserve’s only bull of the ‘near-threatened’ white rhino species.
Kerry Reed from Rave Rhino and Wildlife Project highlighted the significance of Tyson’s loss, noting that Tala Game Reserve has successfully protected its rhinos from poaching for the past ten years.
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Words and picture: Savanna Douglas / Getaway Magazine
