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A baby rhino that was rescued from a pool of mud in the Meru National Park Rhino Sanctuary in northern Kenya is learning how to charge - stealing hearts in the process.
Born on October 31, baby Maarifa got stuck in a pool of mud when she was one day old. Her mum tried in vain to help her calf get unstuck.
An early-morning security patrol happened upon the scene and decided to intervene to help Maarifa, who was very likely going to die.
According to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, the rangers laid down their weapons, removed their boots, rolled up their trousers and clambered into the swamp area to extract the baby and carry it to safety.
"She was a tiny little thing who the rangers described as 'jovial' from the outset. The moment she was free, despite still being caked in mud, she huffed and puffed and began spinning in circles, playfully following the men and trotting behind them. This now presented a problem for her rescuers, as they tried to hide so that the mother would come back to her calf."
There were many difficulties in getting Maarifa reunited with her mother and the calf was eventually taken in and is being raised as an orphan.
In a video shared by the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust last week, the adorable Maarifa can be seen charging around the bush with her carers, "but she is still a little slow in applying the brakes!"
Watch the video here.
