Baixinha passed away
wag.co.za (November, 2003)
Today is one of the most terrible days we have had to endure at SanWild as our dear friend Baixinha had to be put down after she became ill on Tuesday morning. Blood tests showed severe kidney and liver failure as well as an unknown internal infection. Despite fighting bravely for her life, the years of neglect and physical abuse she had to endure at Glen Afric finally took its toll and she could no longer continue. I had to make the heartbreaking decision to ask our veterinarian to put her down and despite his assurances that at least Baixinha had a fantastic life of freedom and love for the past 16 months, it did not prevent my heart breaking once again in a million pieces.
I cannot begin to describe the anger inside me towards the people I have come to know that exploit and abuse innocent animals. No individual animal spoke harder to my soul than Baixinha. Despite all the abuse she endured she served her masters loyally and when she needed their support and love, John Brooker’s response was to sell her as a hunter’s trophy before she could die. Fortunately this never happened. Baixinha never hated people and would constantly seek their attention and love. She was ever forgiving and her trust in mankind remained. She proved to me and all our staff members what can be achieved when we allow animals to reach into our souls. All the love and attention that was given to her was returned to us three fold and we will never forget this dear old creature. She will be greatly missed and I hope that all of us will overcome the loss of this friend ASAP.
Since going down on Tuesday she has had 24 hours companionship with our volunteers and staff members. Sitting alone with her this morning and saying goodbye and apologising to her for all that people have done to her – they took away her freedom and abused her mentally and physically – I made a personal promise to her. I promised that we will find other rhino in captivity – abused and neglected – and we will return their freedom to them. We will give them a better life and in her memory we will call them Ciccia and Baixinha – the two names Baixinha had since she was born 14 December 1975 in Naples Zoo in Italy. I also promised that at SanWild we will continue our efforts to save and help abused animals and that from this day I personally will not get cross, but have the full intentions to get even. So all of you out there that believe it is okay to exploit and abuse wild animals, watch out, we will come after you with all we have!
Goodbye Baixinha, know that you will always remain in our heart and souls and I know that somehow your spirit will always remain amongst the rustling leaves and grasses swaying in the wind at SanWild as this is probably the only place you knew happiness. Now you can finally enjoy the freedom, which God intended when you were born, but that men choose to take away.
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