A DROITWICH vet has spent two weeks in her native South Africa working with various wildlife rescue charities and helping orphaned baby rhinos.
Dr Miriam Lodewyks, who works as a small animal vet for MacArthur Barstow and Gibbs Veterinary Surgeons (MBG Vets) at the Webbs of Wychbold branch, travelled to Zululand and Mpumalanga to assist where she could.
A vet of nearly 20 years, she visited a baby rhino orphanage called Care for Wild and the Thula Thula Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre.
With medical supplies and treatments donated by Webb’s Garden Centre and MBG Vets, Miriam was able to deliver these items, along with general supplies for the volunteers.
She said: “The purpose of my trip was actually to go and scatter my Dad’s ashes in the land that he loved.
“But I decided that whilst I was there I would reach out to a couple of charities to see if I could help them in any way.”
The orphaned rhinos, whose horns have yet to grow, are left to fend for themselves after their mothers are killed by poachers. If the South African Anti-poaching Units get to them in time, the animals are sedated and often airlifted by helicopter to the Care for Wild centre where they are nursed 24/7 until they are strong enough to be placed into larger enclosures with other orphans.
Miriam said: “It is remarkable to see the older orphans take the youngsters under their wings and show them the ropes in the brave new world they now have to face.
“I founded a small charity last year that aims to help animals in need and this is how we funded four new bridles for Care For Wild’s patrol horses, among other things.
“It was whilst dropping off supplies that I had the opportunity to bottle-feed some of the baby rhinos, they are so sweet and funny.
“They’d melt anybody’s heart!”
It is estimated that at the current rate, this rhino species could well be extinct in the wild within a decade and Miriam hopes to continue her involvement with the struggle against poaching.
