Bahati, a southern white rhino calf found abandoned in Ol Pejeta Conservancy, is making remarkable progress following surgery to correct a rare congenital condition known as atresia ani, which left her born without an anal opening.
Discovered by rangers when she was just five days old, Bahati was closely monitored overnight before being transferred to the Mount Kenya Rhino Orphanage for specialized veterinary care. A team comprising experts from Kenya Wildlife Service, Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy, Ol Pejeta Conservancy, and North Kenya Vet Services performed a two-hour surgery to create the necessary anal opening, a procedure not previously done on a white rhino.
Since the operation, Bahati has been steadily gaining strength and adapting well under the vigilant care of her keepers. The Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy reports she is eating normally and showing signs of a playful personality as she recovers.
Collaborative Effort Saves Young Rhino
The successful surgery was made possible through a partnership involving the Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club and a dedicated veterinary team including Dr. Joseph Mbuthia, Dr. Mukami Ruoro Oundo, Dr. Mathew Mutinda Ndunda, Robert Aruho, and Dr. Benjamin Oundo.
Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy encourages wildlife supporters to contribute towards Bahati’s ongoing care, emphasizing that every donation helps provide vulnerable animals like her a second chance at life.
