Tag: #africa

Episode 87: Kindness Is Blankets For Baby Rhinos

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September 22 is World Rhino Day and to mark this special day when the world recognizes these incredible beings who are critically endangered, Anitha chatted with Elisa Best.

16.11.20 – Mirror Animal Hero Awards 2020 – Picture shows Elise Best at her workplace Rowe Vet Hospital in Bristol.

Elisa is originally from South Africa and works as a small animal veterinarian in the UK. Elisa talks about the plight of rhinos and her desire to help them, and how this evolved into the creation of Blankets For Baby Rhinos (BFBR).

This lovely group began by knitting blankets for orphaned rhinos, who are often both emotionally and physically traumatized when their mothers are killed by poachers. Rhino rescue groups discovered that baby rhinos find comfort when wrapped in these blankets.

BFBR has now grown to provide blankets for other animals such as injured and rescued pangolins, lions, leopards, as well as the dogs and humans who are part of anti-poaching units. These dogs and humans work bravely to protect rhinos from poachers.

To find out more about Blankets For Baby Rhinos and how you can support this incredible group, check out their website and their Facebook Page:

Website: Blankets For Baby Rhinos

Facebook: Blanket For Baby Rhinos FB

Elisa talked about an amazing place called Care For Wild Rhino Sanctuary. This is one of the rhino rescue groups, Blankets for Baby Rhinos supports. Care For Wild rescues, rehabilitates, releases, re-wilds and protects orphaned rhinos. In 2016, Anitha’s daughter had the privilege to volunteer at this sanctuary. Her daughter’s experience with the baby rhinos at Care For Wild inspired Anitha’s debut picture book, A Family For Faru. Care For Wild will always hold a special place in Anitha’s heart.

Daisy and Modjadji

To learn more about Care For Wild Rhino Sanctuary, please click on this link:  Care For Wild Rhino Sanctuary

Elisa also mentioned the importance of the anti-poaching unit to protect rhinos and the personal risk these brave men, women and dogs face every day. She mentioned a feature length documentary called RHINO MAN. This film focuses on the life of Anton Mzimba, who was the Head of Ranger Services at Timbavati Private Nature Reserve. Anton dedicated his life to protecting and conserving South African wildlife, and made great sacrifices to himself and his family to do so. Sadly, he was murdered in July of 2022. To learn more about this film, check out the following link:

Rhino Man

As a thank you to Elisa for sharing her story, Anitha donated to Blankets For Baby Rhinos.

To hear the full episode, click here:

Episode 86: Kindness Is Clarissa Clover

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Clarissa Dery, a certified canine nutritionist joins Anitha to talk about what motivated her to create healthy supplements for dogs.

Clarissa not only creates products to help dogs, but after volunteering at a wildlife rehabilitation centre in South Africa, she decided to donate the profits from Clarissa Clover to help wild animals in South Africa.

Clarissa talks about her time in South Africa, the animals she worked with, such as hippos and pangolins, and how this experience affected her.

To learn more about Clarissa and the products she makes, check out these links:

clarissa’s website

Clarissa’s instagram

As a thank you to Clarissa for sharing her story, Anitha donated to Umoya Khulula Wildlife Rehab Centre. This non-profit rehabilitation facility in Limpopo, South Africa is dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of local wildlife that have been orphaned, injured, displaced or confiscated from the illegal trade.

To learn about this wildlife rehab centre, please check out their website:

umoya khulula wildlife

To hear the full episode, click here:

Episode 72: Kindness Is Loving Sirga the Lioness

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Valentin Gruener achieved his childhood goal to live in Africa and work with wildlife, and not just any wildlife. Val has spent the past twelve years raising, caring and loving Sirga, a lioness who came into his life when she was around ten days old.

Val talks about sharing his life with a wild lion, including some heart-warming stories. He also talks about the reasons for the devastating decline in the wild lion population, his conservation initiative—the Modisa Wildlife Project, and so much more.

A very special and important conversation about a man, a lioness and how together they are raising awareness to protect wildlife.

To learn more about Val, Sirga and the Modisa Wildlife Project, check out the following links:

https://www.instagram.com/valgruener/

https://www.instagram.com/sirgathelioness/

https://www.instagram.com/modisawildlifeproject/

You can support Val and Sirga and all they are doing here:

www.patreon.com/sirga

As a thank you to Val for sharing his story, Anitha donated to the Kalahari Research and Conservation (KRC). Kalahari is a unique and fragile ecosystem with a rich diversity of plants and animals. This organization works to understand and conserve Kalahari’s distinctive landscape in the face of increasing challenges.

To learn about KRC please click on the following link: https://www.krcbots.org/

To listen to the episode, click here: