When we hear about the poaching, it is likely that most of us think of a few iconic images.
An endangered rhino, killed for her horn’s supposed “medicinal properties.” A similar fate that befalls the pangolin, a small, aardvark-like mammal whose scales are prized for their alleged ability to cure several ailments. Many of us may also picture an orphan baby elephant, traumatized from witnessing the death of his mom so that her tusks can be sold on the black market. As tragic as the fate of these species who are rapidly approaching extinction is, we must not forget that many other animals are losing their lives at the hands of poachers.
The bushmeat trade, for example, is a $50 million a year, multi-national illegal industry that profits from the sale of wild animal flesh. Great Apes are the most commonly affected by the bushmeat trade, but many other species, such the zebra, also fall victim to this cruel industry. Nguila is a rescued zebra who came to The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (DSWT), a haven for rescued animals in East Africa, when she was very young. According to DSWT, she was orphaned as a result of the bushmeat trade.
While it must have been traumatic for such a young zebra to lose her entire family, Nguila is now happy, healthy, and well-adjusted thanks to her rescuers. She has a family of keepers and little elephants at DSWT’s Voi Unit, where she is learning to hone her natural instincts so that one day, she might be able to join a zebra herd in the wild. Until then, Nguila enjoys popping into the Voi office from time to time to give her keepers a friendly “hello.” Like the other residents of this facility, this sweet zebra owes her life to rescuers. Judging by her big grin, we would say that she realizes just how lucky she is.
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