Dog, abandoned Giraffe become best friends at rhino orphanage in South Africa

Abandoned Giraffe becomes best friend with a dog at a rhino orphanage in South Africa. Jazz, who was abandoned at only two days old didn't have to feel lonely at the rhino orphanage because the baby giraffe had a dog named Hunter to help him through tough times.

Best of friends

The Giraffe, named Jazz was only two days old when a farmer brought him to a South African rhino orphanage. The Rhino Orphanage was the closest place the farmer could look for help when he found the baby giraffe abandoned, weak and de-hydrated. One would think that a giraffe-like Jazz might find it hard to make friends in an orphanage filled with rhinos but Jazz instantly bonded with the centre's watchdog Hunter, who is a Belgian Malinois.

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From day one Hunter has been caring for Jazz by sitting and even sleeping with him. According to the orphanages caretaker, Janie Van Heerden, Jazz was initially brought in very weak. Jazz was put on fluids and seems to be doing a lot better now. According to Janie, Jazz has been fed milk and is even trying to eat leaves. Janie hopes that Jazz will be healthy enough to leave soon.

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The growing poaching crisis

The rhino orphanage which was founded by Arrie van Deventer in 2012 is a registered non-profit company based in Limpopo province. The rhino orphanage is the first specialized, dedicated non-commercial centre that cares for orphaned and baby rhinos. It was created as the result of a lack of a specialized place for rearing baby rhinos who have been orphaned as a consequence of the current poaching crisis which feeds the illegal trade in horns. In the orphanage, the rhinos are hand-reared by the orphanage rehabilitation staff. They are fed a milk substitute and exercise is often encouraged in the form of walks. Human contact is usually restricted in order to prevent the imprinting of the rhinos on humans and to make it easier to release them back into the wild.