Born with only three feet, one rhino became a patient Heinrich Grimsehl will never forget
In 2019, a legend was born when Achillies, the rhino, opened his eyes for the first time. There was only one problem. In the womb something went wrong and he only had three full- formed legs. The vet recommended that his life be ended.
Fortunately, Claudia Andrione and Div Lambrecht had a different idea. For them this little animal’s life was too valuable to let go, so they decided to adopt the little guy. I think it is safe to say that Claudia and Div could be called Achillies’s mom and dad.
Claudia is most probably the world’s most knowledgeable baby rhino orphan expert along with Div with his military background assigned to protect the rhinos on this farm. The baby rhino had quite the mom and the dad to fight for his life!
From a young age, Achillies had a prosthesis. Our paths crossed in June 2021 for the first time. Achillies was two and a half years old. We casted him for our first prosthesis because he outgrew his previous limb, and maintenance was becoming a problem.
I do recall meeting him for the first time out in an open camp. His current prosthesis was not usable anymore and he limped sadly forward with his nose in the dust so that he could keep his balance on three legs. Div mentioned that it was sad to see him this way. He said that “Achillies looked depressed”.
I had little understanding of the magnitude of the project that we embarked on. I also didn’t realise the big lesson mother nature was about to teach us all.
It was the middle of Covid and we had to treat Achillies. We travelled with our medical permits. To go to the farm and get away from Covid hospitals with very sick patients did us the world of good. Therapy for the medical practitioners.
We quickly learned that Achillies has a personality of his own and a heart of gold. His mindset was very much depended on his mobility and the condition of his stump and his prosthesis.
During the next three years, we witnessed him getting depressed when losing mobility but then returning to health and happiness when things went well. Just like a child.
Another remarkable bond was the one between Achillies and his sister Noelle. In the rhino orphanage, babies get a buddy so that they don’t get too attached to humans.
Noelle’s love for her brother was a wonder of nature. She cared and looked after him like a mother and a bodyguard because she knew he had a disability.
Especially during the times he struggled, she would be overprotective, and hell would break loose if she thought he was being harmed. We learned that the hard way with quite a few bruises between us!
These big kind-hearted animals with the persona of big babies stirs compassion in your heart and mind, and it changes your perception of what you thought you knew about rhinos forever.
They are playful, happy, sad, depressed, mischievous, scared, protective and brave, and as you get to know them better, you can recognise the differences in their personalities.
Except for a few pressure sores usually obtained when not wearing the prosthetic limb, his treatment went well.
The staff on the rhino farm were always helpful, keen and positive with advice and information flowing freely. Looking after a three-legged rhino is an expensive and time-consuming job.
Donning and doffing of his prosthesis had to happen every single day, sometimes more than once. Not to mention the extensive effort of healing stump wounds.
When he decided to take a mud bath, things sometimes went south, like walking around his large camp looking for where he left his leg!
On 27 November 2023, the call came that Achillies’s life will be ended the very next day. His health declined radically within a few weeks. The veterinarian and his carers made this final very hard decision.
Achillies became just too heavy for his situation and the period that he had to spend not wearing the prosthesis (because you cannot wear prosthesis 24/7) was increasingly difficult.
Furthermore, his hips and lower back took its toll to the point where any movement was just too difficult and painful, and the big animal had very little strength left to manage his disability.
It was one of the saddest days in our practice. Our normal chatty reception and fitting rooms were quiet for the rest of the day. We were shocked because giving up on a patient is not part of our frame of reference.
The staff of the rhino farm explained the situation to us clearly and we could understand their decision. We never knew that the veterinarian only predicted a three-year life span.
With love and sheer determination from everybody involved, including Achillies, we manage to prolong his life to one month short of five years.
To quote a poem by Dylan Thomas: “Do not go gentle into that good night … Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”
