This is the famous Wessa Rhino .

Hidden away on a walking 👣 trail in the beautiful Twinstreams Forest

With many a story to tell.

He holds a special place in many hearts.

Given a few cyclists 🚴‍♂️ a jump and many a jogger a 😱.

Sadly during Covid he ended up needing alot of TLC.

With the help of a few kind people he is been bought back to life.

Here is Rhumbas Story.

The Wildlife Society of SA was based at Brand Road

The Rhino was on the roof as advertising its existence to all & Sundry.

With the arrivals of a new regional manager in 2006 the offices wet through a major decluttering

One morning while Steve was on duty @ the Twinstreams WESSA office he received the most random call from Grant

 

Grant: “Hey Steve, would you like a rhino for Twinstreams?

Steve: A Rhino????

Grant: Yup!!!!

Steve: At an Environmentally Center??  Which has hundreds of kids visiting, we have no fences to keep the Rhino contained!!!!!!

Grant: Yup!!!

Steve: You can’t be serious, where is the rhino at the moment??

Grant: Standing on the roof at Brand Road

Steve: laughs, ok, why not!!

 

On Rhumba,s arrival at Wessa , was an important question!!!

 What to do with this life size rhino.

Who I might add caused quite a stir driving down from Durban to Mtunzini on the back of Grants van,

With this real life rhino catching a ride many a driver gave a double take, even stopping to look.

After all the hype of Rhumbas arrival had died down the matter at hand was where was Rhumba going to live?

After much light herted discussioins, it was decided Rhumba wa going to become a part of the family and joining in the educational training programe, making him the main focus of an environmental challenge for visiting school groups.

Rhumba was hidden in a secret patch of dense bush, in the Ian Garland rehabilitated forest

Groups had to make their ways through vines of forest puzzles which lead them to various landmarks in the forest

At the last destination the guides switch to stealth mode and led the group right up to Rhumba, at night with a tourch on, made the experience more entertaining,

Those children never forgot Rhumba and the adventures they had going to find him.

After 18 years of standing out in the bush , Rhumba outer shell of paper mache began breaking down,

Exposing the polystyrene below.

Rhumba was in a sorry state indeed until an energetic couple “Trevor and Helen took on the task of rehabilitating him. They have invested huge amounts of time and energy in to Rhumba to save Twinstreams Black Rhino.

And once all the hard work is done Skylar and her friends will come in a give him a new coat of paint.

And he will be happily hidden in his secret place tucked away in Twinstreams Indigiouous Forest to once again startle a