Apollo has been in Rhino Base for over a year. After spending the four years of his life at our Kaluku Unit, the time had come for him to take the next step in his reintegration journey. From Rhino Base, set in the heart of Tsavo, Apollo will eventually reclaim his place in the wild.

We can tell that Apollo is very content with his Tsavo life, enjoying his own space and the greater independence it affords him. His days are spent exploring his vast roaming grounds, playfully chasing the zebras who have taken up residence there, and taking long naps in the shade.

As soon as the rains break, we intend to start taking Apollo outside his roaming grounds, so he can go on longer sojourns along the lugga and begin to establish his own territory. This is a gradual process, and we must tread carefully.

While Apollo is starting to look every inch a magnificent adult rhino, it will be a few years yet until he is fully grown. He spends his days mostly on his own schedule, while his Keepers provide company and guidance as needed.

Apollo embodies that most famous of rhino traits: stubbornness. Come sundown, his Keepers shepherd him back to his stockade. Sometimes, Apollo complies and follows them home. Other times, he flatly ignores their request, acting as if he cannot hear or see them, and returns only at a time that is convenient for him. A rhino whose mind is made up is impossible to convince otherwise!

But every so often, we see glimmers of the tiny calf we rescued five years ago. When he wants something or is upset, Apollo still emits a high-pitched squeak, not unlike the noises tiny Raha and Chamboi make. He may be growing up, but he is still our baby!

Apollo isn’t the only black rhino currently in our care. In addition to Maxwell, the blind patriarch of the Nursery, we are also raising two infants, Chamboi and Raha. In time, these little miracles will follow in Apollo's footsteps. Our goal with every rhino we rescue is to help them reclaim their place in the wild, so they can live as nature intended and contribute to their critically endangered species. But for now, Chamboi and Raha are tiny, vulnerable, and entirely reliant on us — just as Apollo was not so long ago!