White Rhino Calf Hercules has been on an incredible recovery journey. From a little calf left in trouble following a hyena attack to a young rhino who just hit his milestone weight, Hercules’ continues to live up to his name!
South Africa (09 February 2025) — In October last year, the Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary rescued a young white rhino calf in a terrible way. Later named Hercules, the calf would go on to live up to his name in more ways than one, facing challenges, drawing on incredible strength and relying on the support of those who knew he could overcome anything. In another exciting Hercules update, the calf has hit a goal weight milestone!
In Greek mythology, Hercules went up against numerous feats. Similarly, his rhino calf counterpart faced challenge after challenge, beginning with a nasty attack from a hyena.
This attack left Hercules with severe injuries and wounds that became heavily infected. But, every hero has guardians guiding them in one way or another, which is the role the Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary team has played exceptionally well.
Herc’s health has been a long and winding road for the team. They dealt with everything from fractures to crush damage caused by the attack, which called for regular blood tests, bacterial cultures, X-rays and all kinds of antibiotics as well as ensuring the rhino remained on a drip—even as he became more active.
In January, the team shared that their ICU patient was “starting to feel like a real baby rhino again”, and as of 1 February, they proudly announced that Hercules had finally hit his milestone weight!
Hercules has officially passed the 100kg mark—a super sign for his health and development, as he’s gained over 40kg since his rescue.
Especially considering that ill and injured rhinos struggle to gain weight, Herc’s weigh-in marked a long-awaited moment for everyone a part of his healing journey thus far as well as a hopeful indication for his future.
