Rhino cow and calf poached in Limpopo

Police on Wednesday confirmed another two rhinos have been poached on a private farm in Limpopo.

The mother and calf were discovered near Mokopane, but it is believed they were killed on Tuesday night.

The police’s Ronel Otto said the animals were fairly tame and trusted humans.

“Whenever there was movement in the farm they used to come out and this morning they realised there was something amiss when the rhinos did not come out and that’s when they went looking for the animals and found the carcasses,” she said.

She said no arrests have been made.

Meanwhile, the rhino which had its horn sawn off by poachers in the southern Karoo seemed to be making a steady recovery on Wednesday.

Poachers attacked three rhino at the Aquila Private Game Reserve near Touws Rivier at the weekend, killing one and badly injuring another.

The injured rhino, called Absa (but nicknamed ‘Bigboy’), was darted on Saturday.

The reserve’s owner Searle Derman said they are monitoring the animal closely.

“He’s standing up and stuff like that, so it’s been a rollercoaster ride… He’s got a lot of energy, but he wastes is every time he tries to stand up.”

Derman added, “He must be sore, but he didn’t lose enough blood for (it) to be fatal."

Industry experts say as many as 270 rhinos have already been poached in 2011.