Tala Game Reserve mourns the passing of its only white rhino bull, beloved 18-year-old Tyson.
The rhino slipped off a dam wall and into a dam while drinking near Camperdown on Monday.
A Facebook post published by Rave Rhino and Wildlife Project NPC stated that their team of rhino minders and volunteers who were at the reserve at the time combined efforts to save the precious two-ton rhino from drowning.
Sadly, Tyson passed away before the group could successfully remove him from the water.
Tyson was respectfully removed from the dam on Tuesday by SAPS PMB Search and Rescue Members, and relocated to his final resting place with the help of PAWZ Africa and volunteers of Rave Rhino.
The NPC went on to thank all members who involved with safely laying the rhino to rest.
“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 ended with a heartfelt regard to those affected by the tragic loss of Tyson – “a true legend to his species.”
As per ECR, Tyson was the reserve’s only bull belonging to the “near-threatened” white rhino species.
“Now Tala doesn’t have a bull to continue breeding, and we have been extremely successful at Tala looking after them because not one of them has been poached. We have had them watched for the past ten years; not one of them has been poached since,” says Kerry Reed from Rave Rhino and Wildlife Project.
