From Tragedy to Hope: The Remarkable Journey of a Baby Rhino Named J’aime

When rescuers first discovered her, the four-week-old rhino calf stood silently beside her mother’s lifeless body, alone and frightened. Her mother had fallen victim to poachers — her life taken, her horns stolen, and her calf left bleeding and orphaned in the unforgiving South African bush.

The tiny calf had somehow survived three deep stab wounds to her back. She was weak, terrified, and still too young to understand the loss she had just endured. Yet there she stood — wounded but alive — a fragile symbol of resilience in a world that had shown her only cruelty.

A team from The Rhino Orphanage (TRO) in Limpopo raced to the scene the moment they heard about the calf. Time was critical. If she was to have any chance at survival, they had to act quickly.

They named her J’aime, which means “I love” in French — a touching tribute to another rhino that had recently been poached in France. It was more than just a name; it was a declaration of intent. Because what J’aime needed most in those early days wasn’t just food, medical care, or safety — it was love, pure and unconditional.

At first, no one knew if she would survive. The trauma had left her in shock, barely able to stand. Her small body trembled, and her eyes searched anxiously for the mother who would never return. But then, a quiet miracle happened. A caretaker offered her a bottle of milk — and after a moment’s hesitation, J’aime began to drink.

At first, it was tentative, weak — but then she drank more eagerly, as if realizing that this milk meant more than nourishment. It meant comfort. Safety. A beginning.

“She talks to us when she’s hungry,” said Jamie Traynor, the manager at TRO.
“She whines and fusses until she gets her milk. And if we’re too slow? She nibbles on our arms to hurry us up.”

For J’aime, food isn’t just survival — it’s a ritual of connection. Every bottle she drinks is a reminder that she is no longer alone.

But her bond with her caregivers goes far beyond feeding. J’aime is deeply affectionate. She loves to cuddle — leaning her heavy little frame against her caretakers and often falling asleep nestled against them. Her trauma has made her cling to the warmth of others, and the team has responded with unmatched compassion.

To help her feel safe, staff members take turns sleeping beside her at night. Their presence reassures her, offering the kind of comfort only love can provide. In return, J’aime offers them something rare — the chance to witness raw, unfiltered resilience.

Though she’s the smallest rhino at the orphanage, J’aime already shows signs of the strong creature she will one day become. Her feet, oversized for her tiny frame, are a comical reminder that she’s still growing.

“They’re too big for her body,” Traynor laughed.
“When she runs, all you see are her big feet. It’s both adorable and a little ridiculous.”

As the days pass, J’aime continues to grow stronger. Her wounds have healed, her fear has faded, and her playful, curious personality has emerged. She’s inquisitive, energetic, and fiercely attached to the people who rescued her. She follows her favorite caretakers around like a loyal puppy, always craving affection and company.

J’aime's journey is far from over. If all goes well, by the time she’s three years old, she will be strong and confident enough to return to the wild — to a life of freedom that was stolen from her mother but could still be hers.

“Her future looks good,” said Traynor.
“We’re going to make sure she gets the peaceful life she deserves — away from poachers, in a place where she can just be a rhino.”

In a world where rhinos are slaughtered daily for their horns, J’aime’s story stands as a reminder of what’s at stake — and what’s possible. It is a story born in tragedy but fueled by love and hope.

From heartbreak came healing. And for one little rhino who nibbles arms for milk and snuggles through the night, love didn’t just save her life — it gave her a second chance to live it fully.